Divine Judgement
by sacrosanctioned
Summary: The strain between Allen and his friends grows tighter as the trust wears thinner. When a mission leaves him in a state where his very existence hangs in between fate and his own path, can they show Allen he's not alone, or will he give into the darkness?
1. Chapter 1

_Divine Judgment_

**Rating: **T+ due to swearing and possible gore/excess violence. And lots of angst.**  
Pairing: **mainly friendship, possible allen/kanda if seen that way.**  
Summary: **_The strain between Allen and his friends grow tighter as the trust wears thinner. After a mission leaves Allen in a state where his very existence hangs in between fate and his own path, can they show him he's not alone, or will he lose to the Fourteenth?__  
_**Disclaimer: **I don't own DGM, nor do I claim too.  
**Edit: **The summary was changed to better fit the story. It changes nothing about the actual plot of the story.

Well, here's the first chapter to a multi-chaptered DGM story. I'll try and have chapter two up sometime next week. I also have a FMA story on the go too, and I have to update that soon! Anyways, hope you enjoy this story. Drop a line? :3

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1.

[the mystery of the maiden and the fogged forest]

"_We'll be taking the Innocence, exorciiiiiists!"_

_

* * *

_prologue.

_Bang._

"Fuck! What was that?"

A small boy stared up at his father, eyes wide and tearful. Another loud noise could be heard, the rain pounding down with a force that soaked anyone within a matter of seconds of stepping out into the downfall.

"Not in front of the child!"

His beady eyes shifted to the woman beside him, her long brown hair flowing like silk over her slender shoulder, and a simple white gown hugged her body as it trailed behind her and over the damp grass. Her blue eyes shone even in the dark, and her lips curved downward disapprovingly at the man beside her. She held a chain in her hand, a silver pendant dangling precariously on one of the links as it swung back and forth like a pendulum. The boy found himself following the bright silver, watching its movement as it distracted him.

"Sorry."

A crackle of thunder bellowed overhead as a bright light flashed above and lit their path. The child whimpered, clinging to the woman beside him with such force she had to slow her pace.

"It's alright, Milo. We're almost out of here."

The boy paid no heed, instead clinging tighter. Frightened and wet, a tear rolled down his tiny cheek, falling into the black hair that curled down to his neck.

"I want to go home…"

The woman sighed, kneeling down and picking up the fragile child in her arms. A gust of wind blew, knocking her back. She managed to catch Milo, the boy whimpering louder as shivers wracked his body.

"Get up! We have to get out of here, I won't lose you!"

The woman nodded, her hair falling into her eyes as she quickly stood up. She repositioned Milo so he was nesting in her arms. The rain became faster, more vengeful as it blinded the woman as she began running again.

"Yes, I know. Hopefully we lost them by now…"

"They're monsters… I won't let them take you. I'll find a way to end the curse, I swear."

Milo lifted his head, his thin black shirt falling off one of his shoulders. His eyes were sad and fear-filled, and his father sighed, running along with the two of them. Another crackle of thunder echoed, a thin sheen of mist covering them as the lightning lead the way.

"Sister… Cleo… Don't leave…"

Cleo smiled reassuringly.

It was the last smile Milo ever saw as everything went black.

i.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

A sigh could be heard over the whistle of the wind, the fierce cold sending a chill through the white haired boy. Three sets of footsteps rang throughout the silence, the empty forest echoing every sound that was produced as they made their way across the vast expanse of green tinted trees and white fog that shrouded the entire area in a mist. The shortest one was dressed in a black uniform, an overcoat flowing over his shoulders and down his back, the wind making it dance regardless of how hard he tried to hold it together. Ahead of him, another was dressed similarly, adding his personal touch of a green headband without an overcoat. His red hair stood out against the dense color of the woods, and beside him, another was dressed in the uniform.

"Lavi, Kanda, wait up!"

"Tch, keep up, bean sprout."

"The name is Allen."

Allen glared at Kanda's back, the blue haired samurai slightly smirking at the tone of his comrade's voice. Lavi just sighed, not in the mood to listen to the inevitable argument that followed the nickname for the cursed exorcist. He was surprised when Allen left it at that, neither continuing with the back and forth fighting.

Instead, Allen was surveying the surroundings. Komui – the Head Chief of the Science Division at the Black Order – had sent Allen, Lavi, and Kanda on a mission to a mysterious forest, the Mist Forest, in search of Innocence. A demon horde had appeared a few days prior, and a family had gone missing from their quiet home in a nearby village. The village itself was almost empty – the Mist Forest held legends better left untold – and requesting information was useless due to the lack of help and people. It frustrated Allen, due to the race that was becoming darker and more urgent for finding Innocence. Akuma – demons that were created as weapons to do the Millennium Earl's bidding – were hiding from the foggy woods, as Allen had not been able to detect any akuma.

"Hey, Allen, think the akuma are using that barrier thing to null your detection?"

Allen jumped a bit, startled out of his thoughts. He pondered Lavi's words for a moment, putting a hand to his chin while his other flew up to his hood that had attempted to blow off.

"Maybe… But they would have attacked by now."

Lavi nodded, stopping his strides and looking up into the sky. Allen didn't realize in time and ended up ramming into the back of the bookman in training, falling on his backside and hitting his head painfully off the ground. He blinked a couple times, golden stars dancing around his head –

"Timcanpy!"

The golden golem smiled – if a golem could smile – and rested on the top of Allen's hood, the black material wrinkling in protest. Allen sighed, petting Tim. Lavi smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck while he held out his other hand for Allen to grab. The white haired boy just glared, taking the offered hand and standing up, attempting to rid himself of the dirt that had clung to his uniform.

"Heh, sorry about that…"

Allen shook his head, gently fixing his hood so he didn't disturb Tim. Looking up, Allen noticed that Kanda had kept walking, and wasn't in sight. He slapped his forehead in annoyance, breaking out into a sprint.

"Hey, why the rush?"

Allen looked behind him, watching as Lavi tried to catch up.

"Kanda went ahead! Come on!"

Sighing once again, the exorcist sped up, trying to catch up to the samurai ahead of him. The mission wasn't to be taken lightly, and with the Noah's appearing in more places, exorcists weren't being sent out alone often. Miranda – an exorcist who used time – was never sent out by herself, as she was usually accompanied by Noise Marie. Kanda and Allen had been sent out a few times by themselves, but only if there was a low chance of a Noah encounter or high level akuma. Lenalee was never sent out on her own, either, thanks to Komui's sister complex; Lavi usually ended up going with heron missions.

Allen rarely got to stay at headquarters anymore.

Thanks to the appearance of more akuma, the people who were specialized in destroying the demons were sent out on assignments everyday. The last time he had spent a night at his 'home' was almost three weeks prior to his current mission. Anyone who looked at him could tell he was overworked; he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and his weight had begun to plummet due to the demands of the missions he was sent on. Komui felt extremely guilty, but they all knew Allen was one of the strongest exorcists they had. Link – the man who watched over Allen to inspect him of any signs that he was a traitor – had even told Komui that the young boy wasn't eating enough; since he was a parasitic-type, Allen needed more food then equipment-type accommodators, and he wasn't eating nearly enough.

Even Jerry was saddened by not having his favorite customer show up anymore.

"Bean sprout, where are you going?"

Allen skidded to a stop, looking behind him. Having been lost in his thoughts, he hadn't even realized that Kanda had stopped walking. Looking around, he realized something; more mist had appeared, and the fog was nearly blinding now.

"Where is all this mist coming from?"

Kanda sighed, taking a seat on one of the logs.

"The report said that the mist has been getting thicker due to an unknown reason. Apparently, this forest used to be a rainforest – literally. Every night it would rain. On the night Kai and his family went missing, there was one last rainstorm and then that was it. For the last few weeks, it's just been fog and mist, getting thicker and thicker. It's been leaking into the village, and Komui has some suspicions that it's being caused by the Innocence."

Allen pondered this for a few moments, scratching Tim absentmindedly.

"But how do we know Kai is still in this forest? It's hard to tell because of the lack of vision – "

Lavi interrupted, running in past Allen and almost knocking him over again. He bent down, and Allen followed his line of sight to something that was sparkling on the ground. Allen bent down as well, picking up the silver pendent. It was a single butterfly, and silver jewels intertwined in the chains that held the charm. Upon picking it up, the charm glowed, and Allen smiled.

"Think this is the Innocence?"

Nodding, Lavi said, "Only one way to find out."

Allen placed the necklace back on the ground, and watched closely as a thick line of the white mist covered the silver.

They had found the Innocence.

Allen picked it back up, pocketing it in his uniform. He stumbled slightly when the familiar _whirr_ of his eye went off, and he could feel the wheels turning around his cursed eye. Looking around, he spotted six akuma coming in from all directions.

"Bean sprout, where?"

"North and east mainly, four. Two are coming in south."

Kanda nodded, unsheathing Mugen as he stood up. Lavi activated his hammer, the familiar feel of his black tool calming his nerves slightly – they had no idea what level of akuma were attacking. Allen took in a deep breath, activating his own Innocence – Crowned Clown.

"Get ready."

As if on cue, a level two akuma burst through the trees, the mist making it look haunting. Two more level two appeared behind it, and a level three appeared to the right. Another level three burst through the foliage, and a final akuma swooped in from up above –

A level four.

Allen frowned. The last time they had fought a level four, it had destroyed headquarters.

"We'll be taking the Innocence, exorciiiiiists!"


	2. Chapter 2

Well, here's chapter two. And I forgot to mention last chapter when this took place – I want to say it took place after the recent chapter (spoiler; the whole Alma Karma thing – I finished the manga, and can't wait until next month!) but I don't think it'd fit… Well, for now, it's somewhere around that time period, where the war is still raging on and everyone is alive except Cross. Including the Noah family; Road and Tyki in particular. I want to include Cross, but I can't figure out a way to bring him back after what happened in the manga… Anyways, Bak and Fou and everyone is still alive, for the sake of the story. Hopefully, they're alive in chapter 200 as well… Hm. Thanks to everyone who responded to this story! I'll try and update soon, but XIII is on my priority list. xP Despite the fact it's annoyingly hard. Oh. And I tend to ramble. I'm also re-re-reading Death Note.

Enough, though! Enjoy this chapter! :3 Review?

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2.

[attack and the encounter]

_"Tsk, tsk. Lost the Innocence, Allen? That's not good."_

* * *

i.

Allen cursed the very forest at that moment, clinging to one of the broken trees as he felt blood trail down his face. It had happened too fast – one minute, he was activating Crown Clown and waiting for the akuma, the next, a shrill scream filled the misted forest and he was flung back so fast he could_ hear _the wind whistle through his ears. He had collided painfully with a tree, snapping it in two as he felt various pieces of dead bark lodging themselves in the back of his head. It was the level three that had thrown him, but Lavi had knocked it back with his hammer, weakening the akuma considerably. Allen knew he couldn't rest however, for the level four and the other akuma were still skittering around, sending various attacks and lunging at the exorcists. The silver haired boy sighed, standing up and running forward. He wasn't going to leave Lavi and Kanda to deal with the akuma themselves, obviously.

"Lavi, take out the lower levels, Kanda, work on the level three! I'll hold off the level four!"

Lavi nodded and Kanda pretended to ignore him, but Allen knew he had been listening. Allen had fought off a level four on his own when it attacked headquarters, and though he had been badly injured and almost passed out from the loss of blood and energy, he knew his Innocence would protect him until his comrades could help. Taking a deep breath, he lunged towards the level four while directing his arm, the sharp talons piercing through the heavy armor of the weapon. It succeeded in distracting the akuma, for it whipped around and attacked Allen. He blocked the oncoming slaughter, hissing in pain when he felt something warm gush from his flesh arm, easily sticking to the black fiber of his standard uniform. The akuma smiled evilly as Allen dodged another attack, the akuma growing impatient. It sped around – and Allen sighed of relief – when a loud explosion echoed through the forest, the level three bursting into pieces. Allen watched as Lavi swung his hammer once again, colliding into the side of the level four with a deafening _crack._ The akuma sneered, stepping backwards and onto Allen's leg. He winced – thankful he didn't hear any bones break or feel any – and he swung his leg up, effectively knocking the weapon backwards. Allen's eye was starting to sting painfully, and for a brief moment, he was caught off guard. He was grateful when Kanda slid in front of him, Mugen in hand and blocking the large hand that would have otherwise crushed the young boy.

"Bean sprout, stop resting and start helping!"

Allen growled, not bothering to reply. He quickly stood up, forcing his Innocence forward so it went through the akuma – who was being distracted by the combined attacks from the other two exorcists. However, the mass of machinery and strength was furious, and it unleashed an attack that sent all three exorcists flying through the mist. Allen shut his eyes, waiting for the inevitable crash into something hard that was sure to follow. He clung onto the Innocence he had retrieved from the grassy surface of the flurry of trees and mist, and that same fog enveloped him before he landed painfully on the ground, hitting his head in the process. Stars appeared before his eyes, white filling his vision as his stomach throbbed painfully and his head hurt something _fierce_. He didn't move, focusing on trying not to pass out. His eyes were becoming clouded over, his vision blurring. He sat up slowly, trying to get a clear idea of his surroundings. Using his hands and knees for support, he slowly stood up, grabbing onto one of the trees before he fell back down. The fog was making it difficult to see, coupled with his probable concussion.

He vomited onto the ground, crimson staining white.

Despite his attempts to walk and find his friends, the world was far to out of focus, and he was in no condition to go anywhere. He knew he should have kept his eyes open and focused on clearing his thoughts, but it became too much to bear as his vision went dead.

The last thing he remembered was a thin, faint veil falling over him and a green glow appearing in his hand.

ii.

"We have to find him."

Lavi scratched at his eye, the orb watering from the misty substance assaulting it. The attack from the akuma had knocked them back far from their original battle area, but at least the bookman successor had landed near Kanda. The exorcist had a gash across his face – which would heal soon anyways - but Allen was nowhere to be found. It worried Lavi more then he let on, for the last time he had lost Allen during a battle, the fifteen year old had ended up nearly dead with his Innocence broken off and a hole through his heart.

He doubted his Innocence would be able to save him a second time.

"Stop worrying, bean sprout doesn't die that easily. I just hope he still has the Innocence."

Lavi rolled his eye - of course, Kanda would be more worried about the Innocence then Allen. It wasn't surprising, but it still ticked Lavi off a bit. After all, he wasn't supposed to be biased in his work, and getting close to his comrades counted as crossing the thin borderline. But Kanda wasn't a bookman – he could feel and get close to his comrades, despite choosing not to.

But even though the comrade beside him was stoic and stubborn, Lavi knew he was the tiniest bit worried. He just wouldn't show it.

"But where did he _land?_ I mean, we ended up – "

"We ended up near each other because we were fighting on the same side. If you remember, moyashi was on the _other_ side, correct?"

Lavi nodded, scratching his chin and ignoring the Japanese word for Allen. He figured they were headed in the right direction, since it was the opposite of where they were, and most likely where Allen had been forced too.

"I just hope bean sprout knows what direction to head in."

Lavi wanted to add _if he's alive _to Kanda's statement, but decided against it. It was partly because he started choking as the mist got thicker, creating a blanket like cover over the two walking as they made their way. Lavi had to stop and bend over, panting and coughing as the white dampness soaked into his skin and clouded his view.

"Tch, can't handle the mist?"

Despite the sarcasm in his voice, Lavi could hear the words struggling to leave Kanda's mouth, for the mist was affecting him as well.

"I think we're getting closer to the Innocence, since it's getting thicker..."

Kanda nodded, squinting to try and see farther up ahead. The mist was bugging Lavi, more for the fact it was making the small cuts on his face sting painfully and a bruise on his left shoulder was throbbing like hell. The pain coupled with undeniable worry made travelling worse for the exorcists. A buzzing sound interrupted Lavi's inner complaints, however.

_"Allen, are you there?"_

"Komui?"

Lavi's eyes widened at the golden golem that landed on his head, Komui's voice echoing in the silence.

_"Lavi? Where's Allen? And Kanda?"_

"I'm here," Kanda said briskly, still trying to see up ahead.

_"Where's Allen?"_

Lavi noted the worry that was evident in his voice, and he wasn't sure what to say that wasn't a lie but wasn't going to make the chief worry even more.

"We're looking for him. We got split up when an akuma attacked trying to nab the Innocence. Allen currently has it."

There was silence for a few moments before Komui's voice reappeared through Timcanpy.

_"Hurry. We have word that there's a Noah lurking around."_

Lavi's blood ran cold, and Kanda staggered in his steps.

iii.

When Allen came too, something was off.

He couldn't see past his hand that was currently resting on his forehead, nor could he feel anything. At all. He was completely numb, from head to feet. It worried him, because he could still remember the battle with the akuma and being thrown, his head that had throbbed painfully and caused him to vomit. He should have been able to feel the insistent pounding, or the sticky crimson that had leaked into his uniform from his arm, or even the pieces of bark in the back of his head. But he felt nothing, and that scared him.

Was he dead?

_I can't be…_

Attempting to lift his hand, he breathed a sigh of relief when his body responded. The relief was short lived when a multitude of pain assaulted his body all at once, the pain from the last battle rolling in waves as it spread throughout him like a ravaging fire. He bit back a scream as he drew blood from his tongue, and it was then he realized he was more injured then he thought.

"Allen?"

Said boy blinked, the pain beginning to slowly subside into a numbing annoyance. He looked around, realizing his left eye was still activated, and found a familiar face staring at him.

"Road…?"

Allen could feel his fear suffocating him. Fighting a Noah in the state he was currently in would be suicide, but Road had caught him with the worst timing.

"Good, you're alive."

Allen blinked again, trying to figure out if it was a dream or not. His first encounter with the young Noah wasn't a pleasant one, and he wasn't keen on losing his left eye again; it was painful enough the first time.

"Well, aren't you going to say something? I mean, it's been a while."

The exorcist was rendered speechless. He hoped to God that Lavi and Kanda hadn't taken the blow as hard as he did, and that they'd show up before he was killed or forced to fight. He decided just to stall until he came up with a plan.

"Road…What are you doing here?"

She stood up, her blue hair whipped around her face in the wind. Her white dress seemed to blend in with the mist, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Innocence, duh. By the way, where is it? I know you have it. Couldn't find it when I searched you, though."

Allen's breath caught in his throat – the Innocence! He schooled his expression, trying to locate it without giving away his actions. Road smirked, turning around to play with Lero, the umbrella arguing.

"Tsk, tsk. Lost the Innocence, Allen? That's not good."

Taking the chance, he dug into his pocket and ignored the protests his muscles were screaming at him. Relief washed over him when he felt the silver chain, the Innocence still in tact – it raised the question, however, as to how Road wasn't able to find it if she searched him. Her piercing voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Well, since you don't have it, I suppose I'll just kill you now and find your friends."

Allen pushed himself up, dizziness trying to push him back down as he fought it off.

"You're not getting the Innocence – "

He lifted up his arm as Crown Clown activated at the last moment, guarding the multiple stakes that had been thrown in his direction. One pierced his stomach, and though he could feel more blood, he ignored it as his eye began to whirr again. Akuma were coming in different directions, and there was no way he'd be able to fend off a swarm and a Noah.

Road chuckled, but stopped as her face went blank. Allen eyes her warily as she stopped the akuma with a snap of her fingers. She smiled cheerily and waved as she disappeared into the fog, and Allen just stared after her.

What had just happened?

However, the burning in his stomach made him look down and gasp, and there was more then one stake lodged in his body. He pulled them out as the burning became unbearable, and he barely registered Lavi and Kanda appearing seconds before the world went black a second time.


	3. Chapter 3

Tah dah, chapter three! This seems to be turning into an Allen/Lavi/Kanda-centric story. Since I don't write romance, it's not really any set pairings. Take what you will from the story.

Anyways, I don't specifically like the way I wrote this chapter due to the pace I wrote it at, but I seem to have trouble with early chapters all the time. The story will start to pick up next chapter, so I hope you bear with me until then. And I forgot to mention where Link was. He didn't go on the mission with Allen since Kanda went. It'll be explained later. I'm thinking of doing a separate one shot for Allen's dream in the chapter, so if you'd like to see it, let me know. Also, the Innocence actions and the story behind it will be revealed later. Other then that, thanks to everyone who's been following the story! Drop a line? :3

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3.

[dire conditions and unrelenting battles]

"_You're in the village hospital."_

_

* * *

_i.

"How much longer until we're out of here?"

"I don't have the foggiest idea."

"Not funny, stupid rabbit."

Lavi snickered, despite the grim situation he found himself in. An occasional grunt left his mouth as he supported his friend's right side, Allen's unconscious arm slung lazily over Lavi's shoulders. His other arm was slung over Kanda's shoulders, the exorcist not pleased at having to carry around 'dead weight' – in which Lavi loudly proclaimed Allen was _not_ dead – and the fact that Allen held onto the Innocence made the task even more difficult. The fog was blanketing around Allen to the point of an almost blinding shield. At first, Kanda had tried cutting through the fog with his sword – Lavi laughed – but that was useless, and so the sword wielding accommodator gave up.

Thus they found themselves in their current predicament.

"_Nngh… my head…"_

The bookman almost dropped Allen as he staggered in his steps, not expecting the hoarse voice of the very person he was carrying. A pained expression shadowed the young boys face as he mumbled something about Mana, his left eye activating once again.

"Kanda, think the akuma are back?"

Kanda shook his head, readjusting his grip on Allen.

"I doubt it. Lenalee told me that bean sprout's eye activates itself in the night, searching for akuma that clearly aren't there."

Lavi blinked, taking in the information.

"Is that why he doesn't get much sleep?"

Kanda shrugged, regretting it when he had to alter his grip once again. The news slightly disturbed Lavi, but he shook it off, figuring he'd deal with it later. They're main goal was to get Allen to hospital, since his wounds were open and could get infected. Lavi was pretty sure there was a trail of crimson behind him, due to the wounds in Allen's stomach and on his head as well. Dry blood had matted itself in the silver strands, and Lavi had to wonder how he managed to get hurt worse then him and Kanda.

"We're getting near the end of the forest now."

Lavi was startled out of his thoughts, glancing to the blue haired man on his other side as he picked up his pace slightly.

_The appearance of Road… What did she want with Allen? I know Kanda saw her too. Was she after the Innocence?_

Something else nagged at Lavi about the appearance of one of the Noah members, but he didn't want to acknowledge it – the Millennium Earl obviously wanted the exorcists dead, but Allen more so then the others. Despite this, Allen still accepted all missions and put himself in constant danger like the others, but Lavi had noticed the lack of color in the boy's usual pale face, and the dark circles that stood out far too clearly to be simply 'unhealthy.' Not to mention –

Allen was much lighter then the last time Lavi had carried him.

"_Kanda, Lavi, did you find Allen?"_

Timcanpy floated ahead, once again landing on Lavi's head as the red head sighed.

"Yeah, he's in pretty rough shape. We're taking him to the hospital now. Found the Innocence though, so we should be back soon."

Komui was silent for a few moments, and Lavi breathed a sigh of relief when the outskirt of the village appeared. The moon was bright as it shone onto the grassy path, and clouds were covering the stars as the sky promised rain. Lavi hadn't even realized how late it was – they had been on the mission for almost three days now.

"_Take it easy."_

The familiar _click_ of the golem hanging up sounded, and Lavi just shook his head. Allen began mumbling once again, and Lavi had to wonder what the cursed exorcist was dreaming of.

But on second thought, he didn't want to know.

ii.

The first thing Allen realized when he began to open his eyes, was the lack of light.

He couldn't remember the last time he had been in such a dark room. It was pitch black, and the only thing he could see were white dots dancing around in his vision, which tended to happen when there was nothing else to see. He was slightly grateful for the darkness, and was a bit surprised to hear voices whispering. He could recognize them as Lavi and Kanda, and a wave of relief washed over him and almost suffocated him – they were alright. But after processing his comrade's health, he also realized he was in a lot of pain. A faint burning was constant in his chest, which felt tight as if someone had bandaged it along with his stomach. His head felt heavy, and he lifted up his hand to feel a bandage wrapped around his forehead. An insistent pounding reverberated throughout his head, and he moaned at the displeasure. The whispers stopped, and he could hear footsteps before the edge of his bed sank on one side, and the sliding of a chair echoed in the silence.

"Allen, can you handle the light?" Lavi asked, trying to jostle the bed.

Allen nodded, before realizing they wouldn't be able to see. He managed to choke out a _yes_ before the dark room became dim, and Allen could clearly make out the faces of his friends. Lavi looked ragged and worried, and Allen managed a small smile. Kanda had the same impassive look on his face as usual, but a hint of worry was visible in his eyes, and something stirred within Allen.

"Tch, about time you woke up moyashi."

"Yeah, it's been a few days…" Lavi added as an afterthought, scratching his chin.

Allen sat up quickly, dizziness assaulting him as the room began to spin. He grabbed his head and cast his eyes downward, trying to regain his bearings, and ignored the combined protests from the other two occupants of the room. A question then popped into Allen's mind – where was he?

"You're in the village hospital."

The white haired boy blinked, ignored the searing pain in his left eye. It would probably activate once again, as it usually did in the middle of the night. As if on cue, his eye inspected the surroundings, and Allen was shocked when he actually saw the akuma closing in on the building. Before he had the chance to warn Lavi and Kanda, the wall exploded and Allen had to shield his eyes. A chilliness assaulted him as he realized he was shirtless – which was unlucky due to the fact that the akuma would be able to see his wounds more clearly now. Jumping out of the bed, he activated Crown Clown, the familiarity of the white cowl and black weapon setting his defense on high. It was going to be difficult to fight wounded, he knew that much, but he hoped Kanda and Lavi were alright – they didn't have the knowledge of an akuma attack in advance like Allen did. Narrowing his eyes, he calculated how many akuma there were –

About ten, but thankfully, all level two.

Shaking his head to clear it, the cursed exorcist jumped up, swinging his claw downwards in a fluent motion on a distracted akuma. The weapon exploded in a mass of machinery as he carefully glided his arm sideways, creating a cross. This drew the attention of the other akuma, but three more explosions could be heard as Lavi and Kanda pummeled the akuma with their respected weapons. The trapped souls didn't affect Allen much anymore, though he still felt a pang of sadness when he saw the look on their deceased faces, and it renewed his determination to fight.

"Six!"

Allen repeated his previous action, effectively taking out another akuma as he yelled out 'five!' to the other two exorcists. What Allen hadn't been expecting, however, was for one of the akuma to sneak up behind him, stabbing him through his already wounded stomach as he spun around. He was about to attack when the akuma struck his head, blood pouring out from his already cursed eye. Before the virus could spread throughout his body, Allen purified himself, trying not to cringe in pain as it started to become overwhelming. Crown Clown helped him move, his actions weightless as he attacked the offending akuma and set loose it's soul. A few more explosions reverberated through out the room, until one akuma remained. Kanda came up from behind, effectively slicing it in half, the pieces dancing around the exorcist delicately.

Allen felt himself fall to the floor.

"Allen!"

Lavi ran over, pocketing his own Innocence as he helped his wounded comrade to his feet. The world started to spin, but Allen assured them he was fine, despite the fact he could feel the blood trailing out of his body. Coughing, Allen collapsed to the floor, trying to catch his breath. Kanda cursed as he grabbed Allen's arm and yanked, Lavi coming up the other side more carefully. Allen barely registered being taken to another room and placed on a bed, the pain in his chest growing at an alarming rate. Cold air suddenly assaulted the him and shivers racked his body, and it clicked that the torn bandages were being taken off and replaced with new ones. His head was beginning to get fuzzy, and the idea of unconsciousness was becoming greater by the second.

"Stay awake, Allen."

He knew it was Lavi speaking, and that it was the bookman in training that was removing the bandages from his damaged head and replacing those as well. He couldn't see out of his left eye, and it reminded him all too much of the fight with Road back when he had first joined the Black Order. Those thoughts made his already tired mind even more fatigued, and he had the urge to just fall asleep and never wake up. A slap across his face startled him back into distant reality, and if it had been any other situation, he would have yelled at Kanda for being such a jerk.

But his energy was being sapped like poison, and faintly, he knew the amount of blood loss was devastatingly high.

The last thing he saw before he blacked out completely was Lavi's single emerald eye piercing him like a weapon.

iii.

Komui hadn't been pleased when Allen, Lavi, and Kanda had arrived back at headquarters. Far from it – he had been worried beyond belief. After delivering the Innocence to Helvaska, and informing Link that Allen had returned, he went to check on the three teens.

Komui had felt instantly guilty when he saw the fifteen year old boy – his chest was tightly wrapped in bandages the spread out to his stomach and over his left shoulder as crimson clung to the white material. His left eye was bandaged once again, and it wrapped around his bloodied head as well. A thick bruise covered the lower half of his right leg, and Komui could only image the amount of pain he was enduring. But it wasn't the injuries that worried him the most.

It was the fact Allen hadn't woken up in two days.

When the head chief had contacted the three exorcists, he demanded that they returned to HQ where they could get Allen better treatment, and where it was safer. They had obtained the Innocence, and that meant their assignment was completed anyways. Since Allen hadn't woken up, finders were sent to escort them back home, Toma being one of them. When they arrived, Allen was immediately placed under medical care while Lavi and Kanda were checked for any wounds. Lavi was told to stay in the infirmary for a few days, due to a gash that shone on his almost broken arm that he had casually overlooked. Kanda was sent for bed rest, since even the speed healer was overworked.

Komui felt guilt towards Allen due to the lack of sleep and food Allen had been getting, despite the many warnings his friends had told him. Allen had bypassed them all, saying he was fine.

_He'll be getting an earful when he wakes up._

Kanda and Lavi were staying in the same room as Allen, but visitors were limited. Kanda didn't mind, since it kept General Tiedoll away for at least _some_ of the day. Komui had contacted Bak over at the Asian Headquarters. He knew Bak was partly responsible for saving Allen – along with Fou and the rest of the team – after the Tyki Mykk incident, and he'd probably want to know if he was in a dire condition. When Bak had found out, he insisted he come check on the injured boy, but Komui had told him to deal with work first, then when Allen woke up, he could pay a visit since both Bak and Komui needed to discuss important matters concerning something scientific anyways.

Lavi chose not to ask.

However, no one could keep Lenalee, Krory, Miranda, and Noise from visiting. They were all worried about their comrades and friends, and Komui had allowed them to visit.

Allen still remained in unconscious bliss, but both Kanda and Lavi knew something was wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Here's chapter four, readers! I'm impressed with how many people have responded to this story – I wasn't expecting this much feedback. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Story note, I like Lavi's outfit with his green shirt and white pants, hence why I used that outfit. And since Kanda rarely wears anything but his blue tight shirt and black training pants, that is what they wear. Thought I should point that out… Anyways, this chapter is a lot longer, thankfully. I'm also starting to get to the main plot. And just a quick warning; there will be a little bit of bak/fou in this story, much later. If you don't support that, it's alright, there's not a lot of it. I do love that pairing though, and probably will end up doing a one shot with them.

Also, the piano room, I'm going to assume that because of the new HQ, Kanda, Lavi, and Lenalee know where the piano room is. After all, they've been in there before. If there's any plot mistakes, don't hesitate to let me know. Other then that, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Drop a line? :3

* * *

4.

[wondering mind; the hidden truth]

'_It had caused him to blindly interconnect dreams with reality.'_

_

* * *

_i.

He was numb.

He couldn't pinpoint any source of pain, and if it wasn't for the constant beeping that came from a distance, he would have assumed his heart had stopped beating and he wasn't alive. But that wasn't the case, and he couldn't explain the euphoria he was feeling; it was like he was floating in the clouds on the borderline between a dream and reality. Somehow, the dream was calling to him, beckoning him to follow it into the dark depths of his mind.

He couldn't fight it.

Allen watched with a bit of fear as white and black danced before him, the two shades merging and separating as they caressed him. He knew it wasn't real, but somehow, it _felt_ right. The colors disappeared and he was left in utter nothingness, until a single butterfly landed on the palm of his outstretched arm.

_When had I raised my hand?_

It was his black hand, the cross standing out against the color of his Innocence. The blue tinged butterfly looked at him with a sense of longing in it's eyes, and Allen felt himself feeling sorry for the small creature. He yelped a bit – _why can't I hear my voice? – _when the insect flew over to his other hand, uncurling his fingers and digging it's fangs into the palm of his hand. A drop of blood rushed to the opening, slowly making its way down through his fingers and dripping onto the floor below him. He still couldn't feel any pain, the wound opening slowly as more crimson stained the floor. He fell to his knees as the wounds on his stomach and chest opened, creating a pool of blood around where he was sitting. As he closed his eyes, he felt the dream dissipating.

But as the dream disappeared, the pain came back.

It was in one rush, his entire body feeling the impact of the last few battles all in one go. The burning, the searing, _the pain._ He hadn't even realized he had gasped until his throat began crying for water, his voice weak and hoarse like he hadn't used it for days. His left eye felt like someone had sliced it open, and although it wasn't his actual eye that was damaged, a bandage covered the entire area like a tight blanket. He swore it was trying to detect the akuma, but Allen was grateful it was unable to for that current moment.

After calming his nerves down, Allen took a deep breath and calculated his surroundings. The room had a dim glow to it, flowing in through the overhead lights that were turned on their lowest setting. The beeping he had heard earlier was still echoing throughout the room, but Allen paid no mind to it. He wasn't by himself – he could see Lavi and Kanda sleeping in the other two beds, the infirmary almost empty. A feeling of complete hopelessness settled into the pit of his stomach, and words were itching to scratch his mind as an unfamiliar aura settled over him. It scared him slightly, but he passed it off as his injuries taking their toll. Allen sat up carefully, trying not to jostle his bandages or make to much noise for the other occupants of the room, and held his breath as the pain began to subside. When it became bearable, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his white hair falling into his eyes. Something felt off, like it wasn't supposed to be there, but he had so many emotions running through his being that he thought he was going to vomit. Trying to swallow the bile in his throat, he placed his feet on the floor, the icy cold of the tiles sending a chill up his body. He felt bare as the blankets pooled around him, the only sound in the room constant beeping and light breathing. Despite the cold, a sheen of sweat glistened on his face as his breathing became ragged and harsh, the bile rising up to his throat once more. He knew he it was a poorly thought out idea to try and get out of bed, but the room was beginning to suffocate him and he was finding it hard to think straight.

_I need to get out of here… Where's Link? Isn't he supposed to be watching me? What time is it…? What's happening to me?_

Allen tried to push the questions out of his mind as he groggily made his way out of the room, softly and quietly as his footsteps left no echo. He couldn't help but wonder where the nurse was, or where anyone else was for that matter. Lavi and Kanda had been sound asleep, but normally, someone would be in the infirmary or at least Link would be watching him.

_Well, he has to sleep too…_

Allen sighed, shutting his eyes when his body was racked with uncontrollable shivers. He was hot and cold at the same time, and he knew that couldn't have been good. He could hear the sound of someone approaching where he was, so he stealthily slipped into the shadows as a familiar head of blonde hair with a black hat passed without noticing him.

_Why is Bak here?_

However, Allen was wrong, and Bak stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, looking at Allen with a mix of shock and worry on his face.

"Walker? How…? You're awake! What are you doing out of bed?"

Allen blinked, watching as Bak's face changed to one of anger as well. Allen put his fingers to his lips without realizing, but the damage of Bak yelling had already been done. The door to the room he was just in slammed open, and Lavi glared at Allen with as much force as he could muster – which wasn't a lot, Allen noted. Lavi looked tired and worn out, but his emerald eye was saying all Allen needed to hear: you're dead.

"Bean sprout! How are you able to walk? Why are you out of bed? _When did you wake up?"_

Allen was left to wonder how long he had been asleep for.

"I'm fin – "

His word were cut off when he began coughing, sinking to the floor as his energy drained. Spots of red were visible on his hand even in the darkness, and something nagged at his mind.

"_You're not fine, idiot!"_

Although the yelling was making his head pound harder, he was still surprised when Kanda came up behind Lavi and pushed him out of the way, grabbing Allen gently by the arm and pulling him back into the room. Kanda's grip felt hard, yet somewhat comforting, but then he scolded himself for thinking about something like that when he and Kanda did _not get along._

Bak and Lavi followed, and Allen closed his eyes in a bit of annoyance. Something dark crossed his mind, and it left a shadow on his face as he glared at nothing in particular. The room was filled with an empty silence, and Allen figured the occupants of the room must have seen the shadow ghost across his face. Schooling his expression, he smiled up at them, his one eye dull.

"I'm fine. I was just trying to figure out where everyone was."

Lavi looked away and Kanda glanced downwards, eying Allen's injuries warily. Bak was the first to break the new silence.

"…Allen, you've been unconscious for a week. The others have been dispatched on various missions, and right now, Komui and the staff are having a meeting with… Leverrier."

He seemed to pause before saying the name, and Allen scowled at the mention of that man. It was he who proclaimed Allen could be a traitor because of the 14th Noah living dormant within him, and he couldn't bring himself to forgive Leverrier.

"But, it's nine at night right now, and Lavi and Kanda are staying in here in case you woke up, and to get some rest from your last miss – "

"The Innocence!" Allen yelled, sitting back up and gasping at the surge of pain that assaulted him. Lavi patted him on the shoulder, waiting for Allen to catch his breath again.

"It's fine, Komui delivered it to Helvaska."

Allen nodded, relief washing over him. He looked up at Lavi, who looked slightly chilled from the air. His red hair was messy, and his headband wasn't on, which shocked Allen slightly. Kanda's hair was down, and Allen had to wonder how long they had to have been in the hospital for; he had been unconscious for a week, but the others looked relatively injury-free.

"Anyways, Allen," Bak interrupted his thoughts, a stern expression on his face as he cross his arms. "Get some more rest. Tomorrow, we'll discuss your current state of health. Komui will be glad to know you've woken up."

"But – "

"No buts. Either sleep now, or I'll get Fou."

Allen shuddered, and Lavi and Kanda just looked at each other with similar looks of confusion. Allen knew what Fou was like, for he had been under the deity's care and the rest of the Asian Branch when his Innocence had been shattered and a hole in his heart had nearly killed him. Although it was Fou who had found and rescued him, she was still easily angered and tended to be painful. He almost had his head cut off by her.

"Exactly, so sleep."

Bak glanced over to Lavi and Kanda, sending them a silent message that Allen still caught. He was going to be watched, except it wasn't by Link this time.

It was by his friends.

Bak left the room, shutting off the light as he gently closed the door. Lavi stood awkwardly as Kanda crawled back under the covers, intending to go back to sleep rather then stay up and watch the moyashi. Lavi crawled into the bed beside Allen, placing his arms behind his head as he stared up into the ceiling. Allen wasn't sure what to do – it was his dream that had woken him up, and the butterfly had reminded him of Tyki's Tease so much that it made him physically sick. Not to mention, the dream felt real, and it had caused him to blindly interconnect dreams with reality. If he fell back asleep, he might have the same dream – or another nightmare, as he usually did when he got even an inkling of shut eye. The young boy knew he should have taken the opportunity to sleep, since his left eye wouldn't be bothering him in the middle of the night for a while. Out of habit, he brought his hand up to his curse, the feeling of pain and frustration nothing new.

"Allen, how are you feeling?"

Said boy glanced over to Lavi, trying to smile at the older teen beside him – it came out as more of a grimace.

"A bit of pain… But I'll be okay. I've gone through worse."

Lavi nodded, removing his hands from their comfortable position to rest on his stomach, the blanket wrinkling in protest.

"Well… try to sleep, at least. Don't want Fou to get angry."

At the mention of Fou, Allen shuddered. He knew Lavi was trying to pry to find out why Allen felt that way, but he wasn't ready to divulge that information just then. Closing his eyes, Allen felt the dark aura settle over him once again, and he shivered. Pulling up his blanket, he pretended to sleep until he could hear the quieted breathing of his friends, signaling they had fallen into a dream state.

Allen sighed as he was still, thoughts running through his mind like wild.

ii.

"Allllllen! You're awake!"

Komui smiled happily down at the young exorcist, who covered his ears in a vain attempt to block out the piercing voice. Komui ignored that, however, and instantly sat in the chair beside Allen's bed.

_Where did that chair come from?_

"How do you feel, Allen?"

The teen smiled, repeating the words from the prior night.

"I'm fine."

A look of disbelief crossed Komui's face before changing the subject. It was hard, Komui thought, to see Allen in such bad shape. The white material clung to Allen's left eye and wrapped around his head, then even more clung to his body around his chest and stomach. They already had to change his bandages eleven times since Allen had arrived back home, and Komui could only imagine the pain he was going through.

But he had to thank God for having Allen wake up.

"Well, the Innocence you recovered is safe. I heard you also encountered Road."

Allen nodded, scratching his head so his hands didn't shake. He wasn't afraid of Road – despite her being a Noah – but something had felt wrong when he encountered her, and he had yet to place it.

"Well, you're safe now. Anyways, I'll notify Lenalee and the others. I'm sure they'll want to come and see you when they return."

Allen smiled. He wasn't entirely sure why everyone was making a huge deal out of his current state, since it wasn't like he had died or anything. After all, he was still breathing, wasn't he? Allen watched as Komui smiled and left the room, leaving Allen alone with Link, who had been standing by waiting for the two to finish conversing. Kanda and Lavi had disappeared to the cafeteria for breakfast, and Allen had practically begged to go with them. Lavi wanted to say yes, since he knew how much Allen loved food and how little of it he had been eating, but Kanda had reminded him that anyone who saw Allen would skin the three of them alive for letting him out of bed. So instead, Lavi promised to bring him up some food, compliments of Jerry of course.

Allen knew something was going on that they weren't telling him.

He had been injured before, quite badly as well, but no one had treated him like this. He had never been bedridden for more then a day, two at most – he always found a way to get out of it. But it seemed as if there was more to the story then everyone was letting on. Allen let it slide, however.

Shaking his head to clear his criticizing thoughts, Allen glanced at Link, his hair falling in his eyes once again. Some of his white hair was tied down due to the bandages, while the shorter layers were falling over the white material. Link had the same passive look on him face as usual, his blonde hair tied into a braid. No words were said, yet Allen wished he could have filled the silence with _something_.

Allen hadn't seen Leverrier's trusted worker since before the assignment. Although Link was supposed to accompany Allen 24/7, Komui figured Allen needed a break from the 'traitor' business, and requested that Allen was allowed to go on a mission with just Lavi and Kanda. Since Kanda had swore to kill Allen if the need arise, and Lavi was supposed to be unbiased anyways, Leverrier had agreed after much nagging on Komui's part. Allen had been grateful, and he knew Link was a bit relieved at having some time off from his main duty.

"Alllllen, we brought you _food!"_

The exorcist blinked, not sure how long he had spaced out for. Glancing over to the door, he saw Lavi holding three plates of Allen's favorites, and even Kanda was carrying some food – with _that look_ on his face of course.

"Tch. Hear you go, bean sprout."

"The name's Allen, Bakanda," Allen replied automatically. Lavi rolled his eyes, setting the plates down on the bed as Kanda repeated the same action. Immediately, the parasitic-type accommodator dug into the food, his stomach agreeing happily; save for the occasional burn from the bandages rubbing against his wounds the wrong way.

When some of his food started to go missing, Allen looked up, but all he saw was Lavi and Kanda talking – _"stupid rabbit, shut up already!"_ – and Link watching Allen with humor in his eyes. Blinking a few times, Allen shrugged before digging into the food once again, three out of seven plates already cleared. Once again, he noticed that something was missing.

"Who's eating my food?"

Lavi and Kanda turned around, looking at Allen oddly. Said exorcist noticed no crumbs nor food on Lavi's green shirt or white pants, or anything on Kanda's typical blue shirt and black training pants. Sighing, he looked down, and almost screamed when something golden landed on his nose.

Timcanpy.

"Timcanpy! Where were you?"

The golem smiled, taking a bite out of one of the mitarshi dango's that Allen had. The cursed boy picked up his trusty companion in his hand, noticing the crumbs around it's mouth.

"Oi, that's my food, Tim."

The golem floated above Allen, landing in it's usual spot in the nest of white hair. Having solved his problem, Allen went back to eating, Link holding in laughter at having seen the entire thing.

Lavi just shook his head, mentally reminding himself to put on his headband; Kanda said nothing, instead pulling his blue hair into a ponytail and leaving the room.

Allen was enjoying his first good meal in weeks. Since the demand of his assignments left little time for much else, food seemed like a distant memory. But now, having to be confined left many things open – including lots of food. If Timcanpy would stop eating it; golems weren't supposed to eat, _especially_ not Allen's food.

Sighing once again, Allen finished off the rest of the plates, setting the soiled dishes onto the table beside him. His stomach felt relatively full, but uncomfortable due to the wounds. They were starting to annoy him, and he just wanted to crawl under a rock and get some real sleep –

Or go to the piano room…

"Link, I'll be right back."

"Where are you – "

"Bathroom."

He knew it was a total lie, but he didn't particularly care. One place he could count on to be alone with his thoughts was the same room he revived his friends, and learned about the truth of the musician that could control the ark. That memory wasn't the greatest, but it still helped him think, especially since he had few answers. He had meant to ask his master, Cross Marian, more about the musician and the 14th Noah, but the general had got himself killed; at least, he was assumed dead. When Allen had walked into the room and found the blood stains, his stomach had dropped to the floor and the world had gone far to cold.

But, like he told everyone, he was_ fine_.

As he made his way out of the infirmary and headed in the general direction of the piano room – and the bathrooms, so it was easy to fool anyone – he made the correct turn before jogging carefully to avoid getting caught. Despite the protesting from his various openings in his chest, Allen kept going until he reached the familiar white room. Slowing down to a walk, he made his way to the stool in front of the piano and sat down, bringing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. He wished he had brought a blanket – all he was wearing was a pair of gray pajama bottoms, and the room was chilling. As if it could read his mind, Timcanpy dropped a blanket over him, the golem having carried it with his teeth. Allen smiled up at his golden friend, securing the warm material over his shivering body. Looking down his leg, Allen spotted the bruise that shone against his pale skin, the purple and blue mixing together as the area became tender. Looking back up, Allen glanced at Timcanpy, the golem sitting on the stool in front of him.

"Timcanpy, do you still miss Master?"

The golem seemed to nod, curling it's wings inward as a sign of mourning. It wasn't the first time; Allen had visited the room with Timcanpy after Cross was assumed dead, and the two had sat in there for hours until Lenalee had come to retrieve Allen.

"Allllen, where'd you go this time?"

Allen furrowed his brow, recognizing Lavi's voice. Had Link figured it out…? He knew Link was smart, but had he figured it out that fast?

_Have we been in here that long?_

And then he realized something. Allen had never shut the door to the room, therefore, anyone could get in if they knew where to look.

"Found you, moyashi."

Allen jumped, turning around to see a very pissed off Kanda standing at the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Well, here's chapter five. A bit shorter, but at least we're starting to get into the plot a bit more. This isn't the main part, and I've now planned this out to go on for quite a few chapters. Thanks to everyone who responded to this story! I'm really impressed with the response. I hope this chapter lives up to your standards; I had a bit of writer's block, but after writing this chapter, my case is gone! Chapter six will be up sometime within a week.

Drop a line? :3

5.

[beginnings ~ return to the forest]

'_Closing his eyes tightly, Allen let sleep finally overcome him, the constant scratching of a pen against paper lulling him into a separate reality.'_

i.

Allen wasn't afraid of Kanda.

Perhaps on their first meeting, yes, he had been startled – but under the circumstances, he had all reason to be. After all, Kanda had attacked him, thinking he was some kind of demon. But afterwards, Allen had not been afraid of the samurai, because they were comrades working together for one goal. The young exorcist had rarely seen Kanda get extremely angry, but when he did, all hell broke loose.

And Allen had a feeling he was going to end up witnessing it.

The look on Kanda's face was a cross between frustrated and angry, and Allen was caught dead in his tracks, not sure how to respond. Instead, he sat frozen by the piano, the blanket that had warmed him up moments earlier forgotten on the floor.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed."

His tone was low and harsh, promising more pain.

"And you lied to the man who is supposed to be observing you. Are you trying to get yourself killed? Or are you really that _stupid_?"

The piercing words hurt slightly, but Allen stood up, glaring at the man at the door. A dizzy spell altered his vision for a few seconds before he regained his senses, and Kanda just smirked knowingly.

"See? You're – "

"Shut up."

Allen was a bit startled at his own words, the venom flowing throughout his veins and body. The dark aura that had disappeared suddenly returned, clouding his vision and affecting his thought process. Kanda's eyes widened slightly, yet he knew something was off on the white haired boy. Was it the injuries?

Biting his tongue, Allen closed his eyes, willing the sick feeling to leave his body, but the more he fought it, the more ill he felt, and he could feel sweat drip down the back of his neck and face, leaving him feeling worse. The room that usually held a soft spot of comfort was now encaging him, trapping him, _choking_ him.

_I need... I need out..._

"Bean sprout – "

"My name is Allen!"

_He doesn't get it!_

Flinging himself forward, Allen jerked, landing on the floor in a heap of blood and flesh. His skin was burning, and something was terribly wrong. Kanda kneeled beside him, putting his cold hand on Allen's warm forehead.

_Something isn't right! What's happening to me?_

Allen jumped slightly at the cool touch, shivers running through his body as the heat began to subside, but the feeling of not being able to breathe did not. His breathing was raspy and harsh, and his chest felt constricted. The wounds that were supposed to stay closed felt like they were being ripped open, and Allen swore he could feel blood pool around him. The black and white from his dream began swirling around his hands, but only Allen could see it as he lifted up the heavy limb, his eyes wide. Kanda just stared on hopelessly, not sure what to do or how to bring back Allen's senses. Said boy watched as the familiar butterfly landed on him, his dream becoming reality - until Kanda slapped him across the face, _hard,_ snapping the boy back into his current surroundings. The constriction in his chest began to diminish, and the clouded cover floated away as everything became clear once again. However, the damage had been done as his wounds began to scream helplessly, the tender skin begging to be healed as the pain assaulted him. Gasping for breath, Allen grabbed onto Kanda, clinging onto the soft material of his shirt as he waited for the fury to subside.

"Bean sprout...?"

Shaking his head, Allen signalled he couldn't speak. Kanda just nodded, not sure what to do. Timcanpy was floating above the two, a sense of worry rolling off in tendrils from the golden golem. Lavi took that moment to walk in, having witnessed the entire thing but not sure how to respond. He had stood, shocked, at the door, Link's voice travelling down the hall.

"We have to tell Komui about this, Kanda."

The blue haired exorcist nodded, hair covering his eyes as he waiting for Allen to let go. Lavi joined Kanda, gripping the white haired boy in his arms as Kanda helped support him on the other side – just like on their last mission. It seemed out of character for the stoic accommodator to be helping 'moyashi', but something about the way Allen had acted worried him more then he let on.

Allen just wanted peace.

ii.

"Seriously, I'm alright. Just a lapse in… judgement. Don't worry!"

Allen smiled, scrunching his eyes up for added measure. After he had been dragged back into the infirmary, he had almost blacked out, instead clinging onto the shred of reality he had left to keep him from dreaming. Something in the pit of his stomach warned him something was incredibly out of place, but Allen couldn't _place_ what it was. Deciding it'd be best if he didn't worry his friends during the critical time, he had assured them everything was alright, and it wouldn't happen again.

_But I don't know if it will... I lost control, it felt awful…_

"Stop feeding us that bull – "

"Kanda."

Bookman shook his head, sending a silent signal to let it go for now. Lavi had discussed the previous events with the old man, and Allen had known right away by the look in the Bookman's eyes that he was suspicious. Of what, Allen was clueless.

"Allen, get some sleep. We'll be back to check on you in a few hours."

Knowing that disagreeing was pointless, Allen nodded, the new bandages around his eye, head, and body tighter then before. When the light had been switched off and the door had closed, Allen collapsed backwards, letting a huge sigh escape past his cracked lips. Link was still in the room, but the observer was silent in his study, and Allen had almost forgotten the blonde was even there. Closing his eyes, the exorcist let his thoughts run wild in his mind, mixed emotions caressing him as his body began to shut down. He knew he was on the verge of sleep, but the nagging feeling hadn't dissipated, therefore leaving him somewhat coherent and even a little attentive. Scratching his head, messing up his already messy white hair, the cursed boy rolled over, staring at the wall opposite of him. After a few minutes of constant looking, Allen began to see the colors once again; the black and white visible even in the pitch blackness that occupied the room. If he reached out his hand, only a little, he could touch it –

And as expected, his outstretched hand grabbed at nothing, the colors gone as fast as they had appeared. It left Allen feeling slightly disappointed, and that worried him more then the colors did.

_I should talk to someone… But who? I don't want anyone worrying… I don't even know why this is happening!_

Frustration welled up inside him as the thoughts continued to flow freely. Closing his eyes tightly, Allen let sleep finally overcome him, the constant scratching of a pen against paper lulling him into a separate reality.

iii.

_Skeleton._

'_Mana!'_

_The pentacle –_

'_I curse you, Allen Walker!'_

_So much blood, what was happening? His left eye was on fire, and he couldn't figure out what was happening, yet he knew this memory – he had _lived_ this memory._

'_Mana!'_

'_I love you.'_

_Screaming, so much screaming; tears, the pain of losing him a second time…_

'Mana don't go!'

_As the cemetery became twisted and blurred by the overflowing wetness in his eyes, Allen sat down, sniffling and crying as the realization of everything that had happened finally hit home. He was fatherless, again, alone. The loneliness welled up within him, choking him as if hands were wrapped around his throat in a threatening embrace. _

_But as sudden as everything that had transpired, the world changed and the view became enlightened with darkness, and he felt himself falling in a bottomless hole as the wind was soundless and the air was dead. He tried to yell, to cry out something so someone could hear him, yet he was alone and his voice was gone and the silence was deafening. _

'_Mana!'_

_Mana couldn't hear him anymore._

'_Mana!'_

'_Allen?'_

_A voice called out to him, breaking the silence and echoing through the empty space._

'_Allen? Wake up!'_

'_Mana?'_

_But it wasn't Mana. It was a new voice, a voice that was so familiar yet so unreal that Allen was having trouble recognizing anything –_

'_No, Allen, it's Lavi. Wake up!'_

Allen gasped, sitting up as the remnants of the dream still lingered in his vision, his mind reeling at the memory that he had locked away long ago. As his eyesight became his again, he saw a familiar face that was creased with worry. By the look on Lavi's face, Allen's screaming had been louder then he originally thought; the Bookman-in-training was dressed in his uniform, his hair it's usual style accompanied with the trademark emerald headband. Then Allen realized something – Lavi was going on an assignment.

"Where?"

As his bearings became straight, Allen sighed, sitting back down as he looked up at Lavi, the latter breathing with relief at his friend's apparent recovery.

"Ah, back to the forest. Kanda and Lenalee are going along as well. We're going to see if we can find that missing family, since apparently the mist is still thick. Might be more Innocence..."

Allen's eyes widened, his wounds protesting as he sat back up. The familiar, soundless voice echoed in his head, and he felt the need to comply.

"Let me come with you."

"No," Lavi replied swiftly, shaking his head with such fervor that Allen thought the headband was going to fly off.

"Please, I'll be okay – "

"You're _injured_, Allen. Komui'll never let you go."

The voice wouldn't go away, and Allen just _knew_ the answers he was looking for to his recent happenings sprouted from the forest where he had been injured and found the Innocence. He needed to go.

"Please, Lavi. I have too."

The need in his voice must have set something off in the red head, for Lavi just sighed before heading out the door.

"I'll ask Komui, but don't get your hopes up."

Allen nodded, glancing over to Link, who was giving him an appraising look. He looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it. Allen smirked, the darkness creeping back slowly. However, before it overtook Allen, said exorcist blocked out his mind and urged it to disappear, since it wouldn't help his case to go on the assignment with the others. An agonizing silence filled his mind as the darkness began to dissipate once again, renewing Allen's determination to accompany his friends. On cue, Lavi came back into the infirmary, a small smile on his face.

"Alright, bean sprout, Komui says it's alright. But Link will have to go on this assignment, and you're 'not to over-exert yourself, or you'll suffer the consequences.'"

Allen nodded, pulling the sheets off of him as they pooled into a pile of soft, wrinkling material. The adrenaline surging through his body lowered the level of immense pain his injuries were directing at him, and he hastily threw on his uniform that was thankfully in the room – and it had been cleaned of the blood and repaired from the rips that had been made. Lavi just stared wordlessly at the teen, who should have been in excruciating torment, yet was acting like he had barely been scratched.

"Uhm… Bean sprout…?"

"Name's Allen, Lavi."

Allen ran out of the room, Link and Lavi in tow.

iv.

Allen knew Kanda was not pleased.

The samurai would send heated glares towards the cursed boy multiple times, despite both Lavi and Lenalee telling the two to knock it off. Allen would smile, acting innocent, despite his own glares directed at his fellow comrade. It had been tense between the two ever since the episode Allen had, and although it was unspoken, Allen knew Kanda harbored some feelings of worry towards the younger exorcist. The train ride passed mainly uneventful, but Allen grew anxious the closer they got to Japan, the small village growing nearer every passing moment.

Would he truly find answers there?

The soundless voice had replied no, but Allen had ignored it. He figured the voice was the 14th finding a way to communicate to him from within Allen's own body. It slightly threw him off, since that could also mean the 14th was gaining a stronger hold on Allen.

The others didn't notice, or chose not to.

Looking out the window, Allen watched as the outside world blurred together, a mix of snow and rain coating the glass in a sheen cover. Since it was late November, the temperature had dropped considerably, and Allen found himself wearing layers under his regular black uniform. The overcoat he usually wore barely gave him extra warmth when the outside world reached a below zero temperature.

"Moyashi, _food._ Why aren't you listening?"

"It's Allen, Bakanda," Allen replied automatically, before the words that had broken his train of thoughts registered in his mind. His stomach growled at the mention of edible items, and Allen sat up, mouth slightly watering. A finder disappeared through the door, but Allen shouted a quick _thank-you! _to the supporter before the door had closed. The finder had brought tightly wrapped sandwiches and various types of fruits and vegetables, and although Allen was extremely hungry, has still only took a small portion so the others would have equal share. It would tide him over until they reached the next stop, and quickly thanking Lenalee as she handed him two portions, he handed the other half to Link. The man nodded his thanks, and Allen felt himself sink into the comfortable silence. At the beginning of the train ride, Lenalee had bombarded Allen with questions about his general health, and Allen had enjoyed the tidbit of conversation.

A loud rustling noise brought Allen back to his surroundings, and he felt the train vibrate beneath him as the wind outside picked up along with the precipitation.

"The wind must be strong to be able to shake the train," Lenalee said, confirming Allen's thoughts. The group erupted into silence once more, all frozen as they listened to the beat of the rain against the window and the wind moving at insane speeds.

"...That's odd," was all Lavi had to offer, resuming eating. Allen followed suit, but Lenalee and Kanda just looked out the window, an impenetrable tension forming in the small cabin. A few moments passed before a loud _bang_ could be heard, followed by multiple screams and a cry of '_demons!'_ called through the halls. Allen sighed, placing down his half eaten sandwich. Kanda unsheathed Mugen, and Lavi readied his hammer. Allen was about to activate his own Innocence as well as Lenalee, but the door flung open, revealing a level four akuma.

Quickly, Allen activated his Innocence, the white cowl shrouding him as his left arm became the Sword of Exorcism. The large sword felt comfortable and familiar in Allen's hands, and he poised to attack, the level four laughing shrilly. At first, he was confused, but then the collective gasps and curses reverberated in the cabin as more level four akuma appeared. Kanda was thrown back against the wall, not expecting the oncoming attack. Allen disappeared through the door, taunting the akuma to get their attention as he jumped out of the train and onto the roof through the small door on top. The three level four akuma followed, and Allen landed on the grass with a roll and sharp stabs in his injuries. Kanda had followed as well, cursing Allen for being an_ idiot._ Allen watched as Lavi followed as well, and he assumed Lenalee and Link would deal with the smaller levels on the train.

The level four lunged at Allen, who quickly dodged the oncoming attack. However, the claw had torn through some of his bandages wrapped around his chest, and the wound cried for relief. Allen cringed slightly, regaining his balance as Lavi and Kanda fought off the other two akuma. The snow and rain were mixing together, creating a cover that blinded Allen's one eye. A loud explosion sounded, and Allen was grateful to see one of the akuma gone thanks to the combined efforts.

"Allen, stay down!"

But it was too late, as Allen lost his balance once again and fell forward, the ice on the ground becoming visible.

_Ice? From where?_

"Haha, exorcists! Prepare to die!"


	6. Chapter 6

I enjoy torturing Allen. That is all.

Anyways, I'm still getting the hang of action scenes, so I'm sorry if they seem a bit rushed/slightly un-descriptive. I'll get better at it, I swear! Other then that, I think that's it. Oh! And it might seem like some Lenalee/Allen in this chapter, but once again, take what you will. I'm not writing any romance into this story, so it's up to you, readers!

Happy Halloween, by the way!

Here's chapter six! Thanks to everyone who responded to this story.

* * *

6.

[the haunted bed; kanda doesn't believe in ghosts!]

_'Am I losing my grip on reality...?'_

_

* * *

_i._  
_

"You really think you'll escape again?"

The akuma cackled, and Allen was left to wonder where all the level four akuma were coming from. However, after he had had slipped away from the ice, Lavi and Kanda had taken over fighting the multitude of weapons. Allen had to catch his breath, the pain far greater then before due to the fall. However, as he held onto his sword with his only hand, Allen regained his senses and joined in on the fight, attempting to catch the akuma off guard as Kanda and Lavi used their special techniques. The akuma's fighting style seemed strangely familiar, the large machine dodging every attack as if it knew the attack strategy.

Then it clicked.

"Kanda, Lavi, it's the akuma from before!"

The crash that had sent him flying into various trees and left him nauseous had come from the level four that they were currently fighting – again. Lavi gawked, and Allen had to physically knock him out of the way before the akuma dug a claw into Lavi's head. Kanda _tch'd, _sending a silent message to the other two to stay focused and on balance. Allen had completely lost sight of the other level four, which had scooted back after the train. He found it completely out of the ordinary, but considering the current situation, he couldn't dwell on it.

"Thanks, Allen. Are you alright?"

Nodding, Allen stood up, his sword poised to attack. The mask had covered his eyes, and the white cowl had committed into a hood in an attempt to keep him steady, but even with the added support of his Innocence, his recuperation wasn't extended long enough to be able to handle a fierce confrontation – especially with high leveled akuma's. The last time they had fought this particular weapon, Allen had ended up badly injured, and the three of them had been split up due to the ranged attack. Blocking out his thoughts, Allen lunged forward, bringing the sword up so it aimed directly at it's head. However, as Kanda aimed lower, the akuma twisted right, dodging both attacks. Lavi, taking the moment, struck upwards, effectively knocking the akuma hard enough to deal a near-lethal blow. As the akuma poised for attack, Allen felt what was coming on; the same attack from before. His comrades noticed this as well, attempting to hit the machine while it was distracted. The akuma was angered, blocking the attacks while readying it's own.

"Lavi, Kanda, lookout!"

Before the akuma could strike the exorcists, a surge of energy coursed through his veins, and Allen jumped forward, his Innocence outstretching to protect his comrades. After the attack had worn down, Allen countered, releasing a devastating attack that reverberated throughout the area. A loud explosion sounded, and Allen breathed a sigh of relief, tumbling to the ground ungracefully as his Innocence deactivated. The world was spinning and his stomach was turning, pain pounding throughout his body as the battle caught up to him.

"Tch, moyashi, you almost got yourself killed."

"It's – "

"Don't start this again!" Lavi shouted, stopping the argument before it began. Allen chuckled as he closed his eyes, the cool mist from the rain landing in droplets on his over-heated face. The three were silent for a few moments, before Allen realized something.

"How are we going to catch up with the train…?"

Lavi face palmed, and Allen smiled nervously. After all, he was the one to jump off the train in an attempt to divert the attention of the akumas from the passengers on the train; they would have to walk to the next station. Kanda scoffed, rolling his eyes as started forward.

"The station is an hour's walk, give or take. Get moving, bean sprout and rabbit."

"It's Allen!"

"The name is Lavi."

Allen stood up, steadying himself with help from Lavi. He could feel something warm through his uniform, but chose to ignore it until they reached a town he could change. Shrugging off the sudden chill, Allen tightened his overcoat so it covered the majority of his body, his hood hiding his hair from view. He swore he could feel the temperature drop, the air biting as it touched his skin.

It was going to be a long walk.

ii.

"Next time, don't just jump off the train!"

Blink.

"Especially when you're injured, Allen! You could have been hurt even worse, or _killed!_"

Blink.

"Are you okay? Your wounds must have been – "

"Lenalee, I'm fine, really…"

Allen was astounded with how fast the 16 year old could change moods so quickly. However, Allen felt he deserved part of the lashing, but the protective mood Lenalee could get herself into was something he was too tired to deal with. After walking for _two_ hours, the trio had found their way into the small village they had resided in on their last assignment. Kanda was as moody as ever, and Lavi was so tired he could barely stand up. Lenalee had sent the Bookman in training to bed, and Kanda had gone to find "some decent soba." Allen had changed his bandages – with help from Lavi, who wasn't much help at all in his tired state – and the wandered around the village for a bit, trying to gather more intel about the missing family. He came up short, however, and when Lenalee had found him _not in bed_, she reprimanded him.

"Allen, please…"

He partly knew why she was so worried. Despite the amount of time it had been since establishing a true connection with his Innocence, the day he had lost his Innocence was the day he had almost died. Lenalee and Lavi had been devastated, and despite him reassuring them he could handle some cuts and scrapes, everyone still worried.

Except Kanda, of course.

But because of the battle still raging on between the Earl and the Exorcists, the Order had been on edge for quite some time. Most injuries weren't put under large scrutiny, but since the wounds had been considered severe, Allen was being fussed over far too much.

He knew something had happened that no one worked up the courage to tell him.

"Lenalee," Allen started, pushing his thoughts away for later. He placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling confidently. "I really am okay. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here. Now come on, it's late, and – "

A loud rumble from his stomach caused both Allen and Lenalee to freeze, laughing after a few seconds had passed.

"I think we should get some food, first, Allen."

At the mention of food, the sick feeling that had occurred during the last fight with the akuma returned.

"I think I'll be fine until tomorrow. I'm actually pretty tired, and we should get rest for tomorrow, right?"

"But – "

"Good night, Lenalee!"

Allen tried not to let the suspicious look on Lenalee's face change his mind. He knew he wouldn't have been able to keep any food down, and the days' events _were_ taking his toll on him, and a nice warm bed sounded too good to pass up. As he walked into the hotel, the bell at the door jingled – except there was no bell. Passing it off as him just hearing things, the fifteen year old continued walking, the creaking steps alerting him to a bad building job.

_Is it just me, or is this place slightly… creepy?_

Shrugging, Allen walking into the room he was sharing with Lavi and Kanda – Lenalee obviously had her own room – and stripped down to his white shirt and black pants, placing his uniform and overcoat on the soft sheets. He removed the red tie around his neck with ease, placing it on the table beside his bed. However, when he turned back around, his uniform had disappeared, the sheets completely unaffected. Blinking a few times, Allen looked around, including under the bed, but couldn't find it. Lavi's sudden snores made him jump, and he clutched his heart as the shock started fading away.

_Something is seriously wrong here…_

Unless he was completely losing his mind, he knew he had placed the clothes on the bed, yet they were no where to be found. Kanda still hadn't returned from wherever he had gone off to, and Lavi was sound asleep, so it couldn't have been a prank; Lenalee would never do such a thing. Sighing, the warm bed all but calling to him, Allen took off his white collared shirt and hung it on the edge of the bed, watching it for a few moments. When nothing happened, Allen smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed. His left eye was throbbing, and he knew that if it wasn't injured, it'd be trying to detect the akuma. He lifted up his hand, feeling the scratchy material ghost across his skin.

"Hey, bean sprout – don't you think you should be sleeping?"

Allen jumped off the bed, once again clutching the spot over his chest as he tried to regain his breath. That was the _second_ time someone had scared him unintentionally, and he was beginning to think he was going to die of a heart attack.

"Kanda, have you noticed something odd happening here?"

Shrugging, Kanda removed his uniform, climbing into his own bed on the other side of the room.

"Go to sleep, moyashi. You're worrying yourself for nothing."

Glaring, said exorcist climbed under the blankets, the warmth spreading throughout his tired and worn body. As he was about to fall asleep, a sudden _hiss_ made him sit up, looking around frantically.

"Moyashi, _sleep._"

"Kanda, something is seriously wrong here."

The older male didn't respond, instead choosing to ignore his comrade. Allen just shook his head, rubbing his one good eye to try and clear his mind.

_You're just imagining things, Allen._

"What if it's a ghost?" Allen whispered, mainly to himself. However, Kanda heard him, and feeling greatly annoyed, he sat up to glare at the white haired boy.

"There is _no such things as ghosts!_ Now go to sleep!"

Allen grumbled something unintelligible, falling back onto his pillow. His eye widened as he felt something tickle his feet, and panicking, Allen jumped out of his bed, shivering at the assault from the cold. He heard Lavi shift, sitting up as he groggily rubbed his eye.

"Allen…? What are you doing…?"

"Something was touching my foot, my uniform is gone, and there was a hissing noise!"

Lavi blinked, trying to untangle the words.

"Let me get this straight…You can handle a hole in your heart, you can handle fighting with severe wounds, yet you're afraid of something that _isn't there?_ – "

"It is there! I don't know what _it_ is, but it's there!"

Lavi groaned, lying back down as he covered his face with his arm.

"Go to bed…" And then Lavi was back asleep.

Feeling outnumbered, Allen climbed back into his bed – which he had deemed haunted – and closed his eye, pulling the blanket tighter around his body to shield himself from the cold night air. He felt something fall onto his face, and opening his eye, he found his uniform.

He silently screamed.

"What _now,_ moyas…"

"See!"

Kanda shook his head, blue hair fanning out around his face.

"There are no such things as ghosts. However, I think you lost Timcanpy."

Something hard hit him in the head, metaphorically speaking. Groaning, Allen fell back against his pillow again, glaring at the golden golem as it floated innocently around Allen's face.

"So you're the one that stole my uniform…"

Tim nodded, nesting itself on Allen's chest. Too tired to protest, Allen closed his eye, attempted to get _some_ sleep before they began their search the next day.

iii.

"_Allen? Where are you?"_

_The white walls mocked him as he attempted to reach for his friends, the imaginary line separating him from reaching his goal._

"_Allen! Where are you!"_

_He tried desperately to call out, to let his friends know he was alright, but he was completely numb as he felt the crimson liquid flowing from his body to the ground, his left side feeling slightly unbalanced. The too-familiar feeling of dying registered in his mind, and panic welled up at the thought._

_It was a dream. It had to be a dream. _

"_Clown."_

_He watched with desperate interest as the usual shades danced before him, just out of reach. A single butterfly landed on his heart, and the entire situation reminded him of –_

"_Allen! Please be alive…"_

_The scene changed, and suddenly, Allen could move, talk, and think for himself again. Bright green grass filled his vision, the blue sky overhead far too cheery for the current moment of time. A single cross was engraved onto a tiny part of the ground, silver like the pendent he had found. Footsteps could be heard, despite the soft soil, and Allen found himself face to face with Mana._

"_Mana…"_

"_Allen, you chose to walk forward, the path that you've chose, you know it's not easy."_

"_Mana?"_

"_Never forget to breathe, Allen. Never forget."_

_It was like he was watching a robot speak, for Mana's eyes were fixed on the cross, and he couldn't seem to hear Allen._

"_Mana, please – "_

_Mana disappeared, leaving Allen by himself once again. Before he could blink, Cross had appeared, a cigarette in his mouth and a grin on his face._

"_Idiot apprentice…you've done well."_

_An unknown anger raised up his chest, and despite the knowledge of all of it being a dream, Allen lunged forward, attempting to strike his former master._

"_You died! Why did you disappear again?"_

_Cross just continued to smile, smoking the cigarette at a truly slow pace. The bright colors became twisted, until they finally reached a color of black and white, and Cross was gone. The same butterfly appeared, and Allen held out his hand, a reflection looking back at him._

_Except…_

_It wasn't him._

iv.

He hadn't woken up screaming, sweating, or disoriented for the first time in a while.

Despite the hazy dream and the contents that left his brain feeling fuzzy, Allen didn't find it disturbing. He had still woken up in the middle of the night, the pale moon shining a sliver of light on the wooden floor through the half closed curtains, and he couldn't fall back asleep. Allen chose to just think instead, mulling over the events of the last week. The appearance of both Mana and Cross in his dream meant something to Allen, but he couldn't piece the puzzle together to come up with a solution to the foreign feelings he had been experiencing. Rolling over, Allen looked down at his black hand, the engraved cross stretching with the movement. Expecting the shades to appear, he was a bit surprised when his hand remained empty, the silence of the room leaving a faint buzzing in his ears.

_Am I going crazy?_

He rolled back over, staring at the ceiling.

_Or is it the 14th?_

Blink. Blink.

_Am I losing my grip on reality…?_

A single tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a salty trail behind it.

_I… I don't know anymore._

Closing his eye, Allen fell back into a dreamless sleep, the sick feeling clouding his mind.


	7. Chapter 7

Well, here's chapter seven. I read chapter 200, and does anyone find the art to be different, or the general plot to be slightly confusing? Huh. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a bit angsty, but we're finally diving into the mystery family! Thanks to all the reviewers – and to respond to the anonymous reviews, I don't mind them at all! All of your reviews fuel me to write, so enjoy this chapter. It's a bit longer, too. :3 Chapter eight will be out within a week.

Also, there's a bit of a preview for another story I'm working on. It's Christmas-y. Let me know if you want to see it written?

Drop a line?

* * *

7.

[family ties and the meaning behind a father]

"_Always breathe as you walk, and you'll be just fine."_

_

* * *

_i.

"Why did you come back? You're not welcome here!"

Allen was rendered speechless, staring at the short man screaming in front of him. The stubby male had large glasses, sweat dripping from his forehead as his winkled face turned a deathly shade of red, almost matching the crimson sweater he wore with black pants. After leaving the hotel with Kanda, Lavi, and Lenalee, Allen had taken a detour to see if he could find even a _tidbit_ of information on the missing family, but after tapping the man on his shoulder to ask a question, he took one look at Allen and started screaming. Allen figured it was because of his exorcist uniform – but even the cursed boy hadn't been expecting the assault of… colorful words.

"S-Sir… Please, I was – "

"No! Don't talk! Leave!"

Allen just sighed hopelessly, waving a quick goodbye with his left hand – that wasn't covered.

_Oops._

"Freak! Get _out!_ No one wants you here! It's your fault they're missing!"

Dropping his hand, Allen blinked. Maybe the man did know something, and Allen needed to find out. Schooling his frustrated expression, Allen smiled kindly, backing up slightly and putting distance in between him and the angry civilian.

"Sir, my friends and I are looking for them. If you have any information, we might be able to locate them a lot quicker – "

The man started shaking his head, his face turning purple. If Allen hadn't been standing there for five minutes, he might have assumed the poor guy was choking – but, considering the man had been screaming and cursing for the past five minutes, Allen dismissed the thought.

"It's your fault they're gone," the man said, interrupting Allen's thoughts. His voice had gone low, and Allen leaned in a bit closer to listen. "It's your fault they're gone. They aren't coming back. They're… She's…"

"She?"

"She's dead."

Allen gasped slightly, his eyes widening. He was completely lost at what the man was talking about, and something in his very core dreaded the situation to come.

"Can you explain?"

Signing, the man replied.

"…My name is Dile."

Dile's face began losing the unhealthy color, returning to a light tan. Turning around, Dile waved his hand as a gesture to follow, and Allen just watched him for a few minutes before following. He lead the exorcist down a dark alley, few buildings highlighted by the slight sunshine peeking through the clouded sky. As they walked past the small houses, the villagers in the windows closed the curtain, and Allen felt a slight chill through his body.

_What's with this guy?_

Shrugging, Allen continued to follow, the silence beginning to torment him. There was a dull ache in his chest, and he idly touched the material over his covered wounds. The temperature was still far below zero, and Allen had his overcoat wound tightly around him to shield out some of the chilly air. Although the black uniform with red trimmings was warm, for some reason, the cold was affecting Allen more then he let on. He could still recall earlier that morning, when Lavi had pointed it out.

"Exorcist? I'm not going to tell you if you keep spacing out."

Allen shook his head, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry, a bit on my mind."

Dile looked suspicious, but shook it off, leading Allen to one of the small houses. The bricks were a dark brown, the little bit of sunshine making some of the bricks glow. All the pale curtains were closed, and despite having two floors, the building still looked small. As he walked inside, Allen's eyes widened slightly at the inside. The interior was quaint, a small rug covering some of the cold floor as a single table with three chairs furnished the room.

"Well, anyways, take a seat. Would you like some tea?"

Allen nodded politely, the small smile never leaving his face. It seemed odd to be having tea with a man who, just minutes ago, had been cursing Allen's very existence. Looking around, Allen saw a small, framed picture hanging on the wall. A young girl with dark hair and a white dress was in front, carrying a young child in her arms. A man stood behind both of them, his thin arm embracing a beautiful woman, her short blonde hair shining.

They looked happy.

"That's my son, and his family."

Dile returned, taking a seat across from Allen.

"They're lovely."

"Well, my son's wife is deceased… She passed away a few years ago, due to a disease that wasn't curable. You should know the rest."

Allen tilted his head, confusion clouding his mind.

_Could it be…?_

Dile nodded, his eyes darkening with unshed tears. The dark aura that Allen was beginning to grow accustomed to returned, but he ignored it, focusing his thoughts and attention on the current situation.

"They… They're your family…"

"Yes. I'll explain it all in a few minutes, but how about we wait for the tea?"

Dile attempted a smile, but even Allen could tell it was sad – after all, Allen knew fake smiles all to well. Nodding Allen looked out the window beside him, the glass looking cold as the wind outside danced along the trees and leaves. Glancing back at the picture, Allen noticed something around the young girl's neck, the silver almost blending in with her pale skin.

_That's the Innocence!_

"Something the matter?"

Allen averted his eyes from the picture, the color draining from his already pale face.

"Ah… No, no."

The suspicion returned to his eyes, and Allen quickly diverted his attention. It wasn't hard, for the loud whistle of the tea kettle startled both men in the room.

"I'll be right back."

Allen nodded, a sudden thought echoing through out his mind.

_I wonder how the others made out. I know Lavi and Kanda went to the forest to look around… Lenalee went to ask some of the civilians. I don't think they'll find anything though, not if what this man said is true._

"Here you go, boy. It's green tea, I hope you don't mind."

Allen gratefully took the cup, the china feeling hot in his cold hands. He gladly took in the warmth, the liquid burning his throat happily.

"Well, I suppose I should explain," Dile started, sipping his own tea and placing it back down. "You see, my son, Kai, loved his wife dearly. They were a very happy family – with good luck, too. But when Lara died, Kai began losing faith in God and just about everything else. It was Cleo who brought back his senses, and helped him through the rough times to come.

"However, Cleo was a very special girl. She could sense what people were feeling by shrouding them in invisible fog – at least, that's what she told me, and I believed her – and she was always there to support anyone. Suddenly, demons began attacking the villagers, the fields – no one knew what to do. One night, a demon destroyed their house, and said he wanted Cleo. Panicking, they fled into the forest. Ever since then, they've been missing, and the fog won't dissipate. That's why I believe Cleo. That fog has something to do with her, I know it. But if it's not invisible…"

"Then you're presuming she's… dead."

Dile nodded, and the pieces suddenly started clicking to Allen.

"If you don't mind me asking… How did Lara die?"

Dile shifted, taking another sip of his tea, Allen mimicking the movement.

"No one was sure. She was found with pentacles on her body. Yes, I knew what it was, because I know of you exorcists and the akuma."

Allen blinked, almost dropping his cup.

"Y-you know?"

"Of course. An exorcist with red hair and half a mask showed up a long time ago, slaying a demon right before my eyes. No one else had seen it. No one else had believed me."

Allen choked on his tea, pounding his chest to try and catch his breath. There was no mistaking the description – Cross had come to the village.

"He was a nice man, really. A bit odd… Do you happen to know him?"

Allen sighed, rubbing his good eye to try and clear his mind. He wasn't sure if he should express his ties with his former master, but something encouraged him to share the information, and Allen swore he could feel the 14th's presence. Sitting up a bit more, Allen folded his hands on the table, his cursed eye pounding underneath the bandages.

"Um, well, yes. He was my master. But he passed away a little while ago… I'm not surprised it was him – "

"Oh, it wasn't just him," Dile said, interrupting. "A woman was with him. Blonde hair, a burn scar. They seemed close."

Allen stared dumbly for a few minutes. Klaud? Klaud had been with his master? Shaking his head, the young boy sighed, placing his hands on the warm mug of tea. The heat was still radiating from the cup, and it warmed Allen up a bit.

"Sir, I'm very sorry. But we're not going to give up – we'll find your family, I promise."

The man chuckled sadly, placing his own mug of tea on the wooden table. A pounding on the window foretold rain, and the aura that Allen had been cleverly ignoring came back full force. He thought he might vomit, but pushed down the bile as he waiting for Dile to answer.

"Look, boy, I appreciate it. I do. But… the chances…"

"Are slim, maybe. But that never stopped us before."

Dile contemplated this, folding his hands underneath his chin.

"If you don't mind _me_ asking, what's your name?"

"Allen Walker," he said, a bit startled at the unexpected question. Dile's eyes widened, pointing a finger at the boy in front of him.

"That man mentioned you! I asked him if he had a family, and he had said he had 'an idiot apprentice who was the closest family he had.' You're the cursed Allen Walker!"

Allen felt tears sting his eyes, confusing him slightly. It seemed out of character for Cross to say anything of he sort, yet Allen found himself missing his once master. He hadn't even paid any mind to the 'cursed' part, instead reveling in the hollowness that settled in the pit of his stomach.

"I didn't mean to offend you…"

"No, no, it's alright. I'm not offended. Just… shocked."

Dile nodded, taking the final drink of tea and standing up.

"If it's any consolation, he said it with… pride, I do believe."

Allen smiled, but it was short lived as a large knocking came from the window beside him, making him jump. As he turned to look, he found something golden looking at him, and Allen felt sweat drip down the back of his neck.

"Timcanpy…"

Dile started laughing as he came back into the room, pointing at Tim.

"That's the same creature that had been with the exorcist."

"It's Timcanpy. He's a communication golem. He's supposed to be with one of my comrades, I hope she's okay…"

Dile walked over to the window, leaning over Allen to unlatch the glass and let Tim inside. The golem immediately landed in front of it's new master, opening his mouth to project a screen. A familiar figure was flung backwards into a wall, blood trailing on the bricks and onto the ground. Allen watched as Lenalee stood back up, attempting to fight the level four that was also being projected. Jumping up, Allen was about to run to find his comrade, but Dile stopped him and pointed to Tim. Allen watched as the akuma suddenly flew off, leaving the injured girl unconscious on the ground.

"What…? Another level four? And it just disappeared… What's going on?"

Tim closed his mouth, resting on Allen's head.

"Thank you, sir, for the tea. And for explaining everything. We'll find your family, I promise, but right now I have to find Lenalee – "

"Allen, bring her here. I can get her treated. I used to be a doctor."

Allen nodded his thanks, bolting out the door and down the darkened street. Although his knowledge on the village was limited, he knew enough to recognize where Lenalee had fallen. Picking up his pace, Allen made the necessary turns and curves, spotting something crimson up ahead.

_Please be okay, Lenalee!_

When he reached his comrade, Allen looked for various wounds on her body. He uniform was still in tact, and a few scrapes marred her thin legs. No blood was surrounding her body, and thankfully, there was only one head wound that must have knocked her unconscious. Allen breathed a sigh of relief when it didn't look to worrisome. Still, he picked her up cradle style, carrying her as fast as he could without jostling her back to Dile's house. It wasn't hard to find, and Dile was standing outside, waving frantically with a first aid kit in his hand. As Allen reached the house, almost out of breath, Dile lead him inside, his crimson sweater standing out against the grayish aura.

"Lie her down on the couch."

Allen did what he was told, gently releasing her as Dile tended to her wounds. Timcanpy flitted around Allen, a buzzing sound emanating from the golem.

"_Lenalee? Are you there?"_

He immediately recognized Lavi's voice.

"It's Allen. Lenalee was attacked, but she's being taken care of now."

"_Attacked? How…?"_

"It was a level four, again."

Allen had understood Lavi's general question – they were exorcists, and normally didn't get defeated by the very demons they were fighting. But level four's were a force to be reckoned with when caught off guard, especially when one of them were alone. It seemed as if the Earl were making the akuma stronger and stronger.

There was silence over the golems as Lavi was speechless.

"We'll have to figure out where all the akuma are coming from. How's Kanda?"

"_He's fine. He went up ahead when he couldn't get a signal from his golem. It's working now."_

"Alright. We'll meet up in two hours at the hotel. Can you make it back in that time?"

"_Sure. As long as there aren't too many akuma, we should be fine. See you then."_

The golem hung up, and Allen found himself feeling extremely fatigued. He had to hang on to the nearby wall for support as the world swam in front of him, his wounds stinging with a newfound pain.

"So that's how they work… You're injured too, aren't you?"

Allen nodded.

"From our last mission, though. I'm fine."

Dile finished working on Lenalee, coming up to Allen and feeling his forehead.

"You're clammy. And warm. There's an extra bed upstairs, third door on the left. Get some rest, and I'll wake you up in an hour and a half so you can join your friends."

Despite his analysis, Allen actually felt ridiculously cold. But sleep sounded nice – if he didn't have similar dreams every time he closed his eyes.

"I can give you sleeping medicine, if it helps."

Allen just stared, not sure what to say.

_Who is he…?_

"I'm a doctor, remember? Now, go. I'll be up in a few minutes to give you something to help you sleep."

Normally, Allen wouldn't trust someone enough to get shut eye in their house – but something about the man _screamed_ innocent, so Allen nodded, trailing up the stairs and following the hall until he reached the third door on the left. As he entered the small room, he found himself staring in to a mirror, the black, shadowy figure looking back at him with the familiar smile. If Allen's eyes weren't deceiving him, the 14th was becoming clearer, and Allen felt the sick, dark aura shrouding him once again.

_What's happening…?_

"Allen? Here, drink this."

Turning around, Allen accepted the drink, downing the foul liquid in one go. After the startling realization of the image that haunted him in his nightmares, Allen was desperate for some sleep that was dreamless, where he wouldn't fear the Noah inside him, or have to relive the night that changed his life. Twice.

_Mana, and Cross._

Hearing Dile shut the door, Allen shed his overcoat and tumbled onto the bed, tears filling his one good eye as he crawled under the blankets and into himself.

He fell into sleep, but it wasn't dreamless.

ii.

"_Allen, keep up!"_

_The white haired boy stared after his former master, the red haired general walking far up ahead as he called out to his ex-apprentice._

"_Come on, I want to show you something."_

_Shrugging, the realization of everything being a dream, Allen ran up to Cross, falling in step beside him. The scenery was familiar, the rocky path bright as it fell beside the shining green grass, the sun hot as it beat down on the two walking. Allen looked down, feeling odd in his familiar white shirt, red tie, and black pants. No pain, no bandages. _

_It was nice._

"_Allen, you're getting better at fighting. You let your guard down too much, though. I thought I told you not to do that? Remember the time in India?"_

_Allen nodded, looking up at Cross with interest._

"_Master – "_

"_Ah, it's Cross now. I'm not your master anymore, my boy."_

_Shrugging, Allen continued._

"_Cross, where are we going? What are you showing me?_

"_You'll see," was all Cross said, looking up into the clear sky. Allen found himself with the hollow feeling once again. Even though he knew it was a dream, it still made him miss his master – Cross had become a father figure, however unorthodox it was._

"_Allen?" Cross asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. _

"_Look."_

_Allen glanced forward, the patch of flowers swaying slightly from the breeze. A large tree loomed over, creating shade for the bright colors. Mana stood within the flora, smiling with his familiar his top hat placed upon his head._

"_Hello, Allen. It's been a long time since we've been able to talk."_

_Allen froze, not believing it. Even though he knew it was a dream, it seemed unbelievably real, as if they were directly talking to him. Maybe they were?_

"_Allen, you've continued to walk. And when I told you to breathe, I meant it."_

_Mana stepped away from the flowers, placing a hand on Allen's other shoulder as he smiled widely._

"_Always breathe as you walk, and you'll be just fine."_

Allen, don't listen to him.

_The dark aura returned, and Allen gasped, feeling ill once again._

_Both Cross and Mana tightened their grips, and a different aura began to shroud him. The dream began to fade, and Allen reached out for Mana as the latter wrapped his arms around the boy, Allen now feeling like he was the young child who had been found by the very man holding him._

"_Never forget."_

_The dream faded away, and Mana and Cross were gone._

"Allen, I hate to wake you up, but it's been an hour and a half. Lenalee is awake as well, and she's downstairs waiting."

Allen quickly sat up, feeling slightly disoriented, but unaffected as well. He knew there was a meaning behind the dream, but didn't have time to think on it as he jumped out of bed, quickly grabbing his coat and thanking Dile for waking him up and ignoring the pain from his chest. As he trailed down the stairs, something – or someone – slammed into him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Lenalee! You're alright," Allen said, wincing as the pain intensified.

"Allen! Kanda just called over the golem! They found something!"

* * *

**A Christmas Story**

The Christmas holidays are slowly approaching, and everyone is preparing for both the holidays and Allen's sixteenth birthday. But when Allen stumbles upon the same potion that turned Lavi and Kanda to kids once before, the almost sixteen year old is reverted back to his six year old self – with no memories of anything after that. When Kanda is put on babysitting duty, the samurai learns more about the boy known as 'moyashi' that may change the way everyone thinks. Will it be a Christmas to remember?

"_Bean sprout really is a bean sprout, now." ~Lavi_


	8. Chapter 8

Well, here's chapter eight! This is the first chapter I've written that doesn't change scenes. Oh well.

Anyways, once again, thank you to all the reviewers, and to everybody who favorite/alerted. I never expected this story to have this many hits. I hope this chapter is satisfying – I had a bit of trouble writing it. I have physics on my mind, but I wanted to get this chapter out this weekend. Chapter nine should be out with a week, as usual – usually only a few days. And I'm planning to do the Christmas story, so I'll begin to work on that as well. Other then that, I think that's it. The story is meant to be a bit confusing, so don't worry if you're a bit lost, it'll all be cleared with the ongoing plot.

Enjoy chapter eight, and drop a line? :3

* * *

8.

[ambush]

"_Moyashi here is about to drop dead, so I suggest we get to a doctor."_

_

* * *

_i.

"Allen, did Lavi inform you about Link?"

Said boy shook his head, pulling his hood tighter around his hair and some of his face to shield him from the icy droplets that were currently falling. Lenalee and Allen had been walking for nearly a half an hour, attempting to reach the edge of the forest, but with the mix of heavy rain and ice, and the added effect of wind, it was making the trek for the duo hard. The walk had been mostly silent, until Lenalee had interrupted Allen's thoughts with an unexpected question.

"No, but I was wondering where he had gone. To be honest, I had forgotten…"

Lenalee nodded, her short hair whipping around her face. The biting air was affecting both of them, and Allen felt the remnants of sleep clouding his mind dully.

"He was injured on the train, and then brother called and said Leverrier wanted to see Link, so he took the train back to headquarters…"

Allen staggered slightly, caught off guard. Link was supposed to be his constant shadow, watching and observing twenty four seven. Allen had grown accustomed to being under constant scrutiny, but with the events of the last few days, it had completely slipped his mind that his shadow had gone.

"Allen? I had told Lavi to let you know, but I guess it slipped his mind as well."

Allen blinked, looking at Lenalee. His head felt fuzzy, pounding in time with his heartbeat, and the world began to spin around him as his wounds began to ache. He paused, his breath coming in short gasps as he bent over, his white hair falling in his eye. Someone was tapping on his shoulder, but he couldn't focus on anything, too many thoughts running through his head as his body felt fatigued. If it wasn't for the multiple hands that were supporting him, he was sure he would have collapsed right there.

_Wait… Hands?_

"Hang in there, Allen!"

_Lavi?_

Allen began coughing, covering his mouth as the crimson stained his pale hand. Falling to his knees, he grabbed onto something, not entirely sure what it was. His vision was becoming dangerously blurry, and with only one eye he could see with, it didn't help his balance.

"_Lavi, what are we going to do? What's wrong with him?"_

"_I don't know, Lenalee. Just hold on a sec." _

The voices were becoming clearer, as the blurriness that had appeared seconds ago began to fade, the pain subsiding as the world became focused once again. His breath was still coming in short gasps, but Allen could feel the aura returning, and he desperately tried to push it away as a nagging echoed throughout his mind.

_He's getting stronger._

"Nngh…"

Closing his eye, Allen grabbed his head with one hand, the rough bandages scratching his skin. His mind seemed wild, the constant doubt that he was himself filling his being as he struggled to regain his composure. The young boy realized he was grabbing onto Lavi – even though Allen had no idea how they had caught up with him – and he suddenly felt very vulnerable. How was he supposed to fight if he couldn't even walk, or think straight? The doubt clouded his mind once again, shrouding him in darkness that he could feel. It began to terrify him, and the entire situation seemed wrong.

"Allen? You're all right. Breathe."

'_Never forget to breathe, Allen.'_

Suddenly, everything just stopped. The pain disappeared, and the dizziness retracted as quickly as it had appeared. Looking up, Allen realized Lavi and Lenalee were looking at him with worry evident on their faces. Confused and slightly disoriented, Allen stood up with help, bracing himself for the inevitable headache. He was surprised when nothing happened, his mind clear and absolutely pain-free.

"We're not letting this one go, Allen."

Allen nodded, glancing back and forth between his comrades. The icy water that was dripping from his hair and onto his face sent a chill down his spine, but he shook it off, smiling at his friends.

"I'm all right now. I don't know what happened…"

Lenalee smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. Lavi looked unconvinced however, familiar suspicion glistening in his emerald eye. Allen tried to smile wider, wanted to assure his comrades he was okay. Despite this, however, a layer of tension covered the trio, sharp and thick.

"Lavi," Allen started, trying to break the silence. "What did Kanda find?"

A few more seconds of silence passed, Lavi trying to unravel Allen. What had happened was far too serious to just let go – and they all knew that – but the current task at hand was more important for the time being, and Lavi shrugged, walking up ahead.

"The spot where we found the necklace – there's blood there now. There's not a lot, but it's enough to be troublesome. And it isn't any of ours."

Allen saw Lenalee shudder from the corner of his eye, the young girl looking slightly paler then usual. Lavi seemed to catch this as well, for he cleared his throat before continuing on, not keen on the idea of another awkward tension.

"We followed a trail of footprints as well – which was odd to find, since the rain or the mist should have covered them – and it led us to… well, you'll see. It's not pleasant."

The all too familiar dread returned, tormenting Allen on the remainder of the walk. They had finally reached the edge of the forest, the white fog threatening as it thickened. It enveloped the group, and Allen found himself choking. It was hard to see, but he was thankful it was from the mist and not a repeat of what had happened only a few minutes prior. Although he knew something was insanely wrong, Allen also felt something else tickling his mind, but it wasn't clear and he couldn't get a grasp on the fleeting thought. His dream from earlier started to replay through his mind, and despite his efforts to block it out, flashes bounced throughout his head, the images taunting him.

"Moyashi, stop spacing out, would you? We're on a mission."

Allen looked up, surprised to see Kanda leaning casually against a tree, his eyes closed and an annoyed scowl on his face. Allen was about to retort with his usual response, but Lavi put his hand over his mouth to stifle the words. Allen looked down at the offending hand, glaring at it until Lavi finally removed it. Before he could speak, however, the bookman-to-be shook his head, walking up ahead and speaking before Allen could.

"Now is not the time for your usual argument. Save it."

Allen sighed, following Kanda as he straightened up, leading the way to the unpleasant sight. The samurai looked slightly sick, like the sight had offended him even the tiniest bit – which worried Allen even more. He tightened his overcoat, struggling to keep the cold away from his shivering body. The lack of heat was starting to grind his nerves, but he shook it off, his uniform already wet from the precipitation. He could feel the rain that had formed puddles on the ground soak through his shoes, the footprints of proof that he had been there lost under the heavy downfall. Suddenly, Allen slammed into something hard, his head spinning from the contact.

"Tch, watch where you're going, moyashi."

Allen muttered an apology, gingerly rubbing the spot on his forehead, the wound around his eye beginning to sting painfully. A sudden gasp from Lenalee made Allen look to where everyone else was, and bile instantly rose to his throat. Lenalee grabbed onto Lavi, burying her face in his sleeve. Kanda _tched_ soundlessly, looking away. But Allen couldn't look away, despite the gruesome sight in front of him.

A single arm was lying on the ground, dried blood soaked into the white ground. Allen shuddered, finally looking away to find himself looking at Kanda. They were both silence, the forest dull as nothing or no one moved.

Until something attacked.

Allen could feel it under the bandages, his eye attempting to activate fiercely. He assumed what was coming, and he saw it from his peripheral vision – the akuma flying full force into the area. However, before it could dig it's talon into the back of Kanda's head, Allen activated Crown Clown, diving sideways and knocking the blue haired exorcist to the ground. Lavi immediately reacted, and Lenalee stumbled slightly before activating her boots. Kanda grumbled something unintelligible, but Allen took it as a thank you from the stoic exorcist. Standing up, Allen looked around, trying to find the offending machine.

The forest was empty.

No sounds could be heard, and the four exorcists stood back to back, waiting for the inevitable. No akuma would attack and run – it was waiting for a moment to strike. As if on cue, the akuma bounded back through the trees, this time targeting Allen. The white haired exorcist grabbed his sword just in time, defending himself from the lethal attack.

"It's only a level three! Let's go!" Lavi shouted, running forward to try and take the pressure off of Allen's Innocence. Once he was free, Allen regained his balance, attempting to strike the distracted weapon. However, another akuma shot through the forest, knocking Allen back before he could attack. It was another level three, Allen realized, but before he could even lift his sword, another one had run through the weapon on top of him, and Allen recognized Mugen right away. Kanda said nothing, turning back around to help Lavi. Their luck was running out, though, for two more akuma attacked, and Kanda was flung back against a tree, a splitting sound echoing throughout the forest. Allen glared at the other two akuma – one a level three and the other a two – before running and jumped, his sword slicing through both of the akuma as he went sideways. Kanda stood up, rubbing the back of neck, before joining the others.

Another akuma burst through the trees.

"Where are they all coming from?" Lenalee shouted, flying through the air as she attacked. Ever since her Innocence had crystallized, attacking had become easier, but the four skilled exorcists were still outnumbered. Frustrated, Lavi growled, smashing his hammer on the ground and yelling something unintelligible – to Allen anyways, for his ears were ringing with the sound of multiple explosions. Although the akuma had been taken care of, four more came through the trees in multiple directions, and Allen spotted a level four.

"Prepare yourself!"

Allen poised for attack, the fog starting to alter his vision. There were evenly matched – four to four – but a level four was deadly when the exorcists' attention was focused on something else. Allen steeled himself, bracing for the attacks.

"Focus on the level two's!"

A collection of agreement entered Allen's ears, and he focused on the level four, the akuma cackling as it prepared to attack Allen.

"Ah, exorcist! You think you can take me on alone?"

The mass of machinery lunged forward, but Allen lifted up his sword, his white cowl shrouding him in an attempt of protection. Though his wounds were beginning to ache largely, and he could feel blood seep through the covers, Allen schooled his expression, ignoring the pain. Lifting up the Sword of Exorcism, Allen attempted to drive it through the stomach of the akuma, but it just smiled, blocking the attack as if it was nothing. Growing more frustrated, Allen attempted to attack again, but a large claw threw him backwards, and he landed painfully on the ground as his head struck the hard surface. Dots danced in front of him, but he just blinked, standing back up as the akuma attacked again. This time, Allen blocked, but the force of the attack sent him sliding on the white ground, causing the fog lift up around his feet like dust. The pain was becoming more intense, and he felt the familiar softness of his cowl covering his head and face, supporting him as his strength drained. More explosions sounded throughout the forest, and suddenly, something flew out of the sky and struck the level four. Allen smiled as Lenalee grabbed his hand, helping him to regain his lost balance. Kanda lunged forward, but his attack was cut short when the akuma suddenly whipped around, sending him flying once again. A sickening _crunch_ was heard as Lavi was flung backwards as well, landing on top of the samurai. Allen jumped up with Lenalee, the two flying downwards in an attempt to catch the weapon off guard. However, the akuma expected this, sliding out of the way and causing Allen to dive into the ground. He quickly gained his wits, and Kanda and Lavi prepared for a joint attack. Lavi was once again thrown backwards, and Kanda was left to attack on his own. Allen ran forward, joining Kanda, and they both attacked, blue and white mixing together as it trailed toward the akuma.

A shrill scream was heard before an explosion sounded.

Allen tried to catch his breath, digging his sword into the ground as he used it for support with his human hand. Kanda dropped to the ground, blood dripping from his head and rolling down his face. Lenalee joined them, kneeling down and sighing. She looked relatively unhurt, the cloth-like bandage that had wrapped around her wound torn. Lavi almost collapsed, leaning onto his large hammer for support. They four were quiet, waiting for any more akuma to attack, but the forest was silent once again. Feeling safe, Allen deactivated his Innocence, losing his support momentarily and falling to the side – right onto Kanda's side. However, the exorcist didn't push him away, and the four of them stayed quiet as they tried to catch their breath. Lavi was the first to break the silence.

"Well, that was a workout. Anyone want to get to the bottom of this?"

Allen shook his head slightly, the movement causing him to wince in pain.

"We should head back to the village – "

"We can go see Dile," Lenalee interrupted, her breathing under control. Allen nodded, not opposed to the idea. Lavi and Kanda looked confused, and Allen just smiled, closing his one eye – he could feel the lack of bandage on his cursed eye, and the wound must have reopened, for a trail of blood passed silently down his face, dripping onto his hand and onto the white surface.

"We need to recuperate, anyways," Lavi said, standing up and pocketing his Innocence. "We're in pretty rough shape."

Sighing, Allen attempted to stand up, but without any support, the world spun dangerously and he fell forward. He braced himself for the impact, but found an arm strung around his stomach to hold him up. Kanda muttered _tch_ under his breath, standing up along with Allen.

"Moyashi here is about to drop dead, so I suggest we get to a doctor."

Allen ignored the nickname, thankful that he wasn't about to fall. It seemed odd to be supported by Kanda, but the cursed boy didn't complain, and they began making their way out of the forest. The fog was becoming unbearably thick, and Allen assumed it was nearing nightfall. The rain had let up, and Allen slightly wished that the cool droplets would cool his body down, for the heat he had been lacking was now suffocating him.

"Moyashi, you're heavy enough when you're awake, don't you go falling asleep."

"Sorry," Allen muttered, attempting to walk on his own. However, Kanda kept a firm grip, glaring at the boy he was supporting.

"You won't be able to go on your own."

Allen nodded, his vision blurring by the second.

"Who's Dile?" Lavi asked, confusion in his voice. Lenalee was the one to respond, flecks of blood surrounding the wound on her head.

"He's a doctor, and part of the family that went missing. I was talking to him earlier, and Allen was the one to run into him. He even gave Allen a sleeping remedy."

Allen cringed, not wanting to think about sleep or the dream, which had instantly replayed in his mind.

"Let me get this straight… Moyashi accepted a sleeping remedy from a stranger?"

"He wasn't a complete stranger, Kanda," Allen replied, his voice scratchy. "And besides, he knew my master."

The three were silent at that, Cross a touchy subject with Allen.

"And I doubt he was trying to kill me."

"Tch."

Allen smiled slightly, the fog making his eyes itch. He tried to lift up his hand, but it wasn't responding, and his legs were barely in tune with Kanda's steps. He attempted to lift up his hand again, but all he got was a slight fidget. Trying his Innocence hand, it wouldn't move either, and Allen was close to panic. It must have showed, for Kanda just shook his head, refocusing his grip on Allen. The white haired boy noticed the amount of blood on Kanda's face, but chose to not respond.

"You're wounded, moyashi. Stop trying to move, you'll just make it worse."

Lenalee and Lavi glanced backwards, eyeing the two warily. It was a well known fact they rarely got along – it was surprising to see Kanda support Allen.

"Keep walking, rabbit."

Lavi shrugged, turning back around as they neared the exit of the forest. The fog was beginning to lighten up, and Allen could see the outskirts of the village. A sense of relief flowed throughout him, and he breathed a relieved sigh, slightly picking up the pace with Kanda. A few villagers stared as they made their way to Dile's, following Lenalee, but since it was late at night, not many people were out to witness the sight of the injured. Dile seemed to be expecting them, for as they made their way down the alley, a familiar face – to Lenalee and Allen, anyways – waited outside the small house, leaning against the doorframe.

"Ah, you've done a number on yourselves, haven't you?"

Kanda didn't answer, and Lavi looked sheepish.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Dile, and you are?"

"Lavi, and that's Yu – "

"Don't call me that, stupid rabbit – "

"And you already know Allen and Lenalee."

Dile nodded, helping Kanda escort Allen to the sofa.

"I'll tend to your wounds, but first, let's bandage Allen's eye, before it gets infected."

Allen dazed in and out as pressure was placed among his cursed eye, too numb to feel any more pain. Someone told him to remove his uniform jacket, and he did what he was told groggily, still having trouble moving his limbs. More pressure was placed among his chest and stomach, Lavi helping Dile replace the torn cloth. Kanda and Lenalee had taken a seat, both tired from the battle. Once the pressure was gone, Allen opened his eye, his other covered once again.

"Allen, I think you should get some sleep. We all should. Tomorrow, we have to go back…"

Allen nodded at Lenalee, intending to stand up so they could head back to the hotel – but Dile wasn't having it.

"No, no. I have extra beds, so feel free to stay here for the night. There are two beds in the second room after you turn right, and two rooms with one bed each when you turn left. Kanda, Allen, you taken the one with the two beds. Lavi and Lenalee, you can have the ones to the left."

Allen stared incoherently, and Kanda wasn't too pleased either. Before either could complain, though, Lenalee spoke up, her tone light as she smiled thankfully.

"That'd be wonderful!" she said, watching as Dile attended to a reluctant Kanda. Of course, since he could regenerate, his wounds were almost healed, but Dile still insisted to bandage him. Once he was finished, he ushered the group to bed, and Allen took a few steps – almost falling in the process.

"Moyashi, I swear – "

"It's _Allen,_ Bakanda!"

Lavi sighed.

Kanda pushed Allen forward, an odd way of helping him climb the stairs. Allen thought he was going to drop, tiredness enveloping him in a tight embrace. Once he and Kanda reached their bedroom, the young boy just climbed under the sheets, not bothering to remove any clothing as the warmth soothed his aching body. He thought that, because of the lack of attentiveness and the extreme fatigue, he could have at least one peaceful night without dreams or nightmares. A sudden voice brought him back to reality, and he Timcanpy, the golem flying around the room.

"_Allen?"_

"Nngh…" was all he could muster, his _voice_ tired. Kanda took over, grabbing the golem by it's tail.

"It's Kanda."

"_Kanda, are you all alright?"_

Kanda sighed, rubbing his temples to ward off the migraine that was forming.

"We're fine. We'll continue the investigation tomorrow."

"_Understood."_

"Also, there was over ten akuma in an isolated area today. Any record of the Noah's moving around?"

Komui was silent for a few moments, and Allen almost fell asleep.

"_No, but we'll look into and let you know tomorrow. Get some sleep."_

The communication disconnected, and Kanda fell back against the pillow, silent as he began to doze off. Allen pulled the sheets tighter around his body as Timcanpy landed on his chest, nesting on the soft material as usual.

Allen lost consciousness, but the sleep wasn't peaceful.


	9. Chapter 9

I think I may have screwed up the whole human-turns-akuma ordeal. Well, maybe not. Here's chapter nine, and I'm not completely satisfied with it, but I hope you all enjoy it! I had to write the last half on WordPad (usually I use MS Word, but I'm babysitting right now...) so excuse any spelling/grammar mistakes? I may not have been able to catch them all. Anyways, thanks to everyone who responded to the story - I really appreciate it! It's been almost a month since I started this story! Without further ado; chapter nine! Drop a line? I'd love some feedback, just to know that my writing is still okay. :3

* * *

9.

[the truth and attack]

_"This aura... It doesn't even surprise me anymore."_

* * *

i.

_Maybe it's my eye, conversing with my mind…_

Allen sighed, rolling over in his bed, ignoring the constant stinging that the bandages caused on his various cuts. He couldn't even count the hours he had been awake; even after the day he had, his eyes had refused to stay closed after his latest dream. Oddly, no one was in his dream – he was just lost in a sea of blackness, suffocating under the invisible pressure that pushed on his entire body. Kanda was sound asleep in the bed beside him, and the white haired boy found himself envying his comrade slightly. Allen couldn't recall how much sleep he had gotten in the past few weeks, and he could feel the lack of a closed mind affecting him during battles and during the normal hours of day. Rolling over once again, Allen thought for a moment, staring up at the ceiling.

_Maybe I should take the bandage off my eye; see how it's doing…_

As quietly as possible, Allen gently pulled the blankets away from his body, looking at Tim with a look of apology as the golem was woken from its position. As the bed creaked, Allen paused for a moment, seeing if he woke up Kanda. When the latter just lay in bed, still not moving other then the rise and fall of his side, Allen continued to get up, placing his feet on the wood floor. His exorcist uniform felt far too warm, and he could feel sweat drip down his face. Pausing once again, Allen waited for any sign of life; when he got none, he walked towards the door, opening it as quietly as possible.

"Where are you going, moyashi?"

Allen cursed, shutting his eye tightly as he stood frozen, holding the door knob with unneeded force.

"Uh… bathroom."

It wasn't a lie this time, he knew; he was going to take a look at his eye, but he needed a mirror – the bathroom would be perfect.

"If you're gone for more then five minutes, I'll hunt you down and chop off your hair, got it?"

Rolling his eyes, Allen nodded, used to the threat of a hair cut. He opened the door quickly, shutting it behind him quietly as to not wake up the rest of the small house. Then a startling realization hit him like a ton of bricks –

_Where's the bathroom?_

Lowering his head and sighing, Allen rubbed his temple, the migraine coming back. He looked down the hall, spotting a faint light down the hall. Shrugging, Allen followed it, the door opening just a crack as he pushed on it. It opened to reveal the bathroom, yet no one was in it.

_Why is the light on?_

Shrugging once again, Allen closed the door as he stepped in, the light faint and dim as it highlighted the white tiles. A large mirror was off to his side, and as he turned around, he got a good look of what the day had done to him.

Due to the lack of sleep, large, dark circles shadowed his eyes, making his usual pale face even paler. His white hair curled slightly, and Allen ran his hand through it, straightening it out – it didn't help, for his hair still looked messy as it almost reached his shoulders. His one eye seemed to flicker gold, and Allen watched as his face grew slightly paler at the prospect. The familiar shadow still remained behind him, the black and white standing out. Allen's uniform was wrinkled from lying on it, and the golden chain that hung from his front pocket was tangled slightly. Absentmindedly, he fixed it, the rough material scratching his skin. He lifted up his hand, pulling down the white bandage that covered his cursed eye. As the skin underneath became clear, the first sign of a wound appeared, the red, angry looking cut going over his eyelid and continuing underneath his eye. The scar that marred his left eye seemed to blend in with the new cut, and Allen wondered if he'd have another scar. The pentacle on his forehead looked redder against his skin, and Allen removed the last of the bandages as he traced the red scar.

As soon as he disposed of the bandages, the familiar whirr of his eye bounced off the walls, the silver wheels rotating as it searched for akuma. None were near by, but Allen grabbed his eye, willing for the detector to go away.

_They aren't there!_

A loud knock at the door startled him back to reality, his eye reverting back. He gingerly grabbed the knob, Tim flying through the opening as Allen once again shut the door.

"Tim, is Kanda still awake?"

The golem nodded, it's wings creating a thin stream of air as it caressed Allen's face. Said boy just leaned back against the door, shaking his head.

"I'm going to go back. It's not like I'm defying orders or something… Link isn't even here now. He just disappeared. Not to mention, I can't even sleep…"

Tim seemed to sympathize, though not used to having Allen vent about his problems. Even Tim could sense something off about his self proclaimed owner, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Allen wished Cross was still around; despite everything Cross had put him through, at least he held some answers Allen desperately wished he had.

Chomp.

Allen blinked, looking at the golem that was currently attempting to eat Allen's hair. Slightly annoyed, Allen grabbed Tim, holding the golem in his hands as Timcanpy just looked at him.

"You shouldn't eat hair."

Tim seemed to look inquisitive, which caused Allen to laugh as he slumped down the door, burying his head in his arms that rested on his brought up knees.

_This aura… It doesn't even surprise me anymore._

Chomp.

And there was Tim again, chewing on Allen's silver strands.

"Really, Tim?"

Once again, the golem acted as if nothing was wrong with chewing hair, which caused Allen to just shake his head as he laughed a bit more. He hadn't laughed in a while, and it felt good to find something to take his mind off of everything. He let Tim go as he removed the top part of his uniform, revealing the white shirt underneath; he took in the cool air as it cooled him down. Another knock at the door caused him to jump, dropping his coat as he tried to scoot away from the soon-to-be slammed open wood, his eye whirring.

_An akuma? How'd it get in the house?_

Allen jumped up, activating his Innocence. The black and white claw replaced his left hand, the cowl shadowing him. The door broke apart, and a sick cackle filled his ears as the mass of weaponry burst through the broken entrance, the level four taking on the form of someone he never suspected.

"Dile…?

The so called 'Dile' laughed, walking towards Allen with an odd gleam in his eye.

"Since your eye was out of commission, you couldn't detect if I was an akuma or not. It was only a matter of time before I could get you alone once again, so I could capture you, exorcist!"

Allen tried to make sense of things, but the shock was slightly overwhelming.

"But… what about your family…?"

"Fool," the akuma cackled, the shrill noise making Allen's headache worse. "When I died, he tried to bring me back. Dile – I'm his daughter in law. He hated seeing his son so hurt! You should know what that's like, Allen Walker! The Earl already told me everything. I was personally sent to capture you, anyway I could. The level four akuma? They couldn't do their job… such a shame. But now I get to finish my job."

Allen backed up a bit more, his human hand clawing at the wall behind him. How long had Dile been an akuma?

"And due to your lack of sleep, your general health deteriorating, the wounds that were purposely inflicted on you… You're really in no shape to fight, are you? But you have no choice; your comrades can't hear us. After you had fallen asleep – you were the first one to fall asleep – I gave them all a drink of water… Sleeping remedies. They won't wake up anytime soon."

_Kanda was awake… He must not have taken it._

Dile laughed once more, turning into the akuma he had been all along. Allen growled, lunging forward with his Innocence outstretched; Dile jumped out of the way, kicked Allen in the back and sending him flying. Dile must not have been lying; even though they were right beside Lavi and Lenalee's rooms, no one came out, and Allen assumed they were lost in sleep.

"Then why did you help me earlier? You explained everything about your family…You knew Cross!"

Allen rolled to the side, avoiding the large hand that would have otherwise have crushed him. Timcanpy flew by, heading towards the room he was sharing with Kanda.

_Just need to hold off a bit longer._

"Ha, it was all part of the plan, fool!"

Allen rolled once again, avoiding the oncoming attack and jumping upwards. His eye wouldn't deactivate, and Allen could see the soul – of which Allen assumed was Dile's daughter in law – over top of the akuma; the soul was basically gone, just a skeletal outline of what the soul bound by chains once was.

"And besides," the akuma yelled, once again aiming to kick Allen. The boy dodged, but the akuma attacked once again, and connected his foot with Allen's head. A sickening crack was heard, and Allen could see stars dance before his eyes.

"I was an akuma when I met Cross, and I would have killed him then, but two generals at once? I was only a level two. I wouldn't have survived."

Allen felt sick to his stomach, Kanda's words echoing in his head.

_"Moyashi accepted a sleeping remedy from a stranger?"_

Allen tried to get out of the way, but it was too late as he felt a thick claw dig through his chest, reopening the wounds that were covered. The bandages tore, and the pain nearly became overwhelming as Allen tried to regain his balance once the akuma pulled back it's hand. The cowl provided extra balance once again, and Allen was trying to ignore the burning, searing, and itching all at once as it assaulted his chest.

"Hey, you filthy demon, where did you put my Innocence?"

_Kanda?_

The akuma laughed, reverting back to the form of Dile.

"I took all your weapons and placed them somewhere in here you'll never find – "

"Says you, you stupid bastard!"

Allen looked up as Lavi and Lenalee came running down the hallway. Kanda had a seriously pissed off look on his face, Timcanpy flying over to Allen on the floor. Lenalee and Lavi looked annoyed, and Lavi smirked, throwing Mugen to Kanda. Allen smiled, standing up with the added support of his Innocence. He ran his human hand down his arm, the claw turning into the Sword of Exorcism. Kanda came up beside Allen, the two face to face with the akuma.

"Moyashi, looks like your eye is working."

Allen nodded, neither looking at each other. The akuma was in a state of shock, and Allen shook his head, the silver mask covering the top part of his face. He stepped forward, lifting his sword as he poised for attack. Kanda glared, and Lavi and Lenalee activated their Innocence. Having seen the look on their faces, the akuma quickly lunged forward, aiming for Allen's head; Allen lifted his sword, successfully warding off the attack. Kanda jumped forward, swinging Mugen downwards – but the level four jumped out of the way, avoiding the slaughter. He whistled, and Allen's eye began whirring once again, a multitude of akuma appearing by detection.

"Guys, there's about… twelve moving in! Brace yourselves!"

The wall burst into pieces, and another ambush came flying in.

_So many in so little days…_

Allen felt himself flung backwards, but he proceeded to a stop, his feet sliding on the wood. He watched as Kanda's Innocence became two, connected by a blue light. Lavi was using his combo attacks, and Lenalee was moving with such speed she became a blur. Allen took a deep breath, four akuma appearing in front of him. One was a level two, the others level three's. He prepared for attack, his sword running through two out of the four; explosions were heard in the thin hallway. Ne of the akuma snuck up on him, and Allen felt himself flying, all the way down the nearby stairs. He hit the ground with a large thump, blood running down his face. The injuries he had sustained turned numb, resolve filling him as he quickly righted himself.

"Die, exorcists!"

The expression was becoming far too familiar, and Allen destroyed the other two akuma that followed him. By the looks of all the weapons, there was only three level four, and only six akuma remained. The three level four's joined in a strung together line, and Allen jumped forward, attempting to break the chain while avoiding the oncoming attacks as the limbs of the akuma's whistled past his ears.

"Allen, behind you!" Lenalee cried, and Allen looked behind him, narrowly dodging an oncoming head-crush. Rushing faster, Allen spotted Kanda, the exorcist lunging forward too break the chain.

"Go left, moyashi!"

Allen nodded, swerving to the side as Kanda also attacked, and the two were enveloped in light as their attacks became one. Only one akuma remained, and Allen glared as he landed on his feet, his breath coming in short gasps. Dile laughed.

"You'll either die here, or I'll take you to the Earl. I'm sure Road would love to see you again."

Allen froze.

"Maybe Tyki will be the one to kill you..."

Allen had had enough. He was about to attack, but the akuma was faster, grabbing Allen and suffocating him in his grasp.

"You'll die by the Earl's hands, Allen Walker."

All at once, Allen fell to the floor, the suffocating grip dissipating as the akuma burst into thousands of pieces. Kanda tched, glaring at the mess around the house. Lenalee and Lavi landed beside the bleeding exorcist on the ground, kneeling down to help him up.

"Allen, are there anymore akuma?"

He shook his head, deactivating his Innocence. He realized a second too late that by doing so, he lost all support, and he fell backwards as the numb feeling disappeared and he was left with agony and weightlessness. Darkness threatened to overtake him, but he focused on staying awake, desperately hanging onto reality once again. He felt himself being lifted, and he glanced over to see lavi supporting him on one side while Kanda was on the other. Lenalee looked extremely worried, but he smiled, his eyes starting to close.

"I'm fine..."

Timcanpy landed on his head, nesting in the white hair as usual.

"Tch, shut it, moyashi."

Lavi rolled his eyes, helping Kanda carry Allen to the torn up couch. The sofa was still in one piece, but the stuffing was flowing out in multiple places. Allen felt himself being lowered, and people were talking, but the threat of unconciousness was becoming more tempting by the second.

"Allen, this'll hurt."

He nodded, his white shirt that was stained red was removed, and he could feel pressure over the pain in his chest.

"Lenalee, grab those bandages over there? I'm surprised Dile left them out. But they weren't destroyed, so I guess we're lucky."

A few seconds passed before the cold disappeared, and it was replaced by a new warmth that the bandages provided. Opening his eyes, Allen watched as Lavi bandaged Lenalee's arm and hiw own leg, Kanda pacing around.

"Bakanda, stop moving around so much, would you?"

Kanda turned and glared, unsheathing Mugen.

"Say that again, moyashi."

Allen smiled, standing up.

"Bakanda, stop moving around so much, would you?"

Lavi chose to intervene, not in the mood to listen to the arguement.

"Both of you, stop. Allen, you're in no shape to be fighting. Sit down. Yu, take a seat before you kill Allen."

Allen shrugged, taking his seat on the couch and leanign his head back, the night air coming in from the various holes in the wall cooling him down. His eye went off again, and for a second, Allen felt panic well up; his eye showed no akuma, however. Lenalee noticed this, sitting down beside Allen.

"Allen, are they coming?"

He shook his head.

"False alarm."

Lenalee nodded, and Lavi and Kanda exchanged a look. The cursed exorcist felt his eyes droop once again, the essence of sleep circling his mind. The last thing he could remember was the sound of rain beginning to fall as he drifted off into sleep, his chest aching and his mind dead.


	10. Chapter 10

Allen is never going to catch a break... It's too addicting.

Well, here's chapter ten – a day after the last update? Woo! I had a lot of free time tonight, so I thought I should put up chapter ten since the chapter was sitting on my computer for a few hours after I wrote it. Anyways, this chapter gets a bit angsty. I think the end of this chapter will surprise a lot of people; or not. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! And to my anonymous reviewers, since I can't personally respond, thanks a lot! I do appreciate it. A lot. :3 If you'd like, you can drop me a PM, with your email/something of the sort so I can respond. (Of course, I'm not going to ask you to write it in your review since it's private, and I have no problem if you prefer not too.) But either way, I do read your reviews – and I absolutely love receiving them.

Without anymore rambling - except, I finally switched scenes! - here's chapter ten! Drop a line? :)

One final note; I'm thinking of doing a pre-story, of Allen's time with Cross. It won't be for a while – this is my first priority, and I'm doing the Christmas story – but I'd like to plan it in case some people are interested. Let me know? I might do one with Mana, too.

* * *

10.

[sorrow's flame]

"_We meet again, Allen. I won't fail this time."_

_

* * *

_i.

"The train is leaving in an hour. Are we catching it, or not?"

Allen frowned, glancing over to Lenalee. She looked worried, and he couldn't blame her; they were told to return to the Order, but Allen felt that it was wrong. After the attack at Dile's house, the group had returned to the hotel, next to nothing salvageable in the small wooden house. Allen had left with a sad look in his eyes – it wasn't right, that the man wasn't who he thought he was. He felt a bit guilty as well, because despite not having the use of his eye, he had still laid down some trust for the stranger, all because of the connection with Cross, and it had almost cost him his life. He could still recall Lavi's words from the first time they met, so many months ago, yet he had taken it for granted. Because of his lack of judgement, they had been wounded and Allen swore he could feel life draining from his body. Komui had reached them the next morning, and ordered them to return; but the family had still not been found, and Allen didn't feel it was right to just leave when they could still be out there.

"I don't know… Maybe we should take one last look around."

Lenalee nodded at Allen, who just took a seat on the bench as his head started pounding. A large bruise had formed on his neck from the strength of the grip Dile had him in, and the blow his head had taken left dried blood encased in his hair at the base of his neck, which took a long shower in the middle of the night to wash out. Coupled with newly opened wound on his chest, he was engrossed in a large amount of pain, but he did his best to ignore it – he had gone through worse.

"I agree with bean sprout – "

"It's Allen, Lavi."

" – we should probably go back to the forest, just to see if there's anything else. If we miss the train, we'll catch the next one."

Kanda was the only who didn't respond, and Allen glanced over to the samurai, a confused look on his face.

"Well, what do you think, Kanda?"

He just shrugged, not really caring, and Allen's confused look turned into a glare.

"Tch, does it really matter? Either we go and look and get in shit from Komui, or we return and leave this mystery."

Allen nodded, looking around at his comrades. Lavi and Lenalee were seated on both sides of him, and Kanda was leaning against the brick wall of the station. The small area was filled with a few locals, and a few people gave the exorcists rude glances. Allen sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. It would be smart to return – since it was under direct orders – but it wouldn't be right to leave the family. It was still their assignment.

"All right," he started, standing up. "We'll look around the forest a bit longer – let's try and get to the other side, since we've only made it about halfway."

Lenalee nodded as she stood up, followed by Lavi. The latter looked a bit skeptical, and Allen sent him a look, trying to figure out what the red head was thinking.

"Allen… You're still pretty injured. What if we run into more level four's?"

"It shouldn't be a problem. I can detect them now, and since Dile's gone… There shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'm fine, anyways."

Lavi still looked doubtful, but Lenalee placed a hand on his shoulder, her short hair blowing around her face from the sudden wind. Allen looked to Kanda, the blue haired exorcist nodding as he stood up from his position against the wall. Allen was a bit surprised at his sudden co-operation, but he assumed that Kanda didn't really care what they did, as long as it was productive. It had been a while since the four of them had gone on an assignment together, he realized, or had been together at all. The last time he could remember was during the Ark, and that had been unconventional. Thoughts of the Ark started to make his stomach turn, the Fourteenth's legacy echoing in his head.

_How much longer?_

Allen cast his eyes downward, following Kanda and Lavi as they led the way. Lenalee was walking slightly behind Lavi, the wind causing her to shiver slightly. Allen could feel the cold as well; the change in temperature lately had built up his immunity to it, though the biting chill still caused him to shiver. Pulling his hood up around his head, the white haired boy shielded himself from the onslaught of wind.

"Oi, moyashi, keep up."

Allen looked up at Kanda, who didn't turn around. The cursed exorcist rolled his eyes, expecting the constant torment – it wasn't anything new. The group settled in a comfortable silence, though Allen was far from relaxed. The constant thoughts he had before continued to mull over in his mind, and the ill feeling had returned, the darkness settling around him like a blanket. He didn't want to lift up his hand, in fear of seeing the mixing shades once again. His nightmares and dreams had haunted him as well, confusing him and worrying him. He felt off, unbalanced – he hated it.

_Is there something wrong, or am I really just imagining things? I don't imagine the Fourteenth's shadow. It's there. It's always there._

Timcanpy bit his nose, causing Allen to yelp, losing some of his dignity. The three exorcists ahead turned around, seeing what the fuss was about, and Allen quickly smiled and assured them he was fine. He held his nose gently, a drop of blood erupting from the small cut. He glared at the golden golem as it flew around his face, smiling with it's sharp teeth. The three ahead turned back around, Lavi shaking his head at what he just witnessed.

"Tim," Allen whispered. "Why do you insist on tormenting me?"

The golem seemed to shrug, continuing to just fly around as if nothing happened. Allen glared a bit more before sighing, taking his hand off of his nose to pull his hood around tighter, fighting the wind. Tim had been acting weird too, he knew, for the golem had seemed to be more aggressive. He had rarely seem Tim get aggressive with Cross – only once, when Cross had forgotten Allen in one of the many bars, Tim had bit his head, and Cross had reluctantly gone to retrieve the thirteen year old – so the sudden behavior was worrying him slightly.

"Are you mad, Tim?"

The golem shook in a way that meant 'no', and Allen furrowed his brows, grabbing the golem in his hands. The golden creature was cold, but Allen didn't care, holding Tim tighter as a sudden gust of wind almost knocked him back. The familiar, heavy fog began to cloud his vision as they reached the edge of the forest, and as they made their way in, the small dribble of rain turned to white flakes, and suddenly, the four exorcists were engulfed in a fierce snow storm. Allen heard Kanda curse, the latter pulling up his own hood of his red and black uniform.

"First the fog, now a blizzard? What the fuck is wrong with the forest?"

"Yu, calm down, would'ya? It's only snow."

Allen heard Kanda mutter something unintelligible under his breath, and Allen laughed, blinking away the snow that landed on the lashes of his eyes. Although the white flakes were cold, it felt of kind of nice as the snow melted into water on the cut on his face. Timcanpy escaped his confinement, landing on Allen's shoulder to shield itself from the cold. Allen grabbed his hood, helping his golem so it didn't freeze – even though it _was_ a golem.

"The snow is getting thick; do you think we should head back and try later?" Lenalee asked, causing Allen to look up.

"I don't think so," Allen responded, his voice almost outmatched by the wind and snow. "If we head back now, we might as well get on the train, since the snow doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon – "

"Hey!" Lavi shouted, interrupting Allen. "Look up ahead – I never noticed it before, but there's a cave up there."

Lavi pointed straight ahead, and Allen followed the line of sight, spotting a thinly veiled entrance to a rocky cave. It looked suspicious, and after the events that had transpired the night before, he didn't feel like testing it out. Kanda seemed to have the same idea, quickly turning the idea down.

"Tch, we'd also be sitting ducks for any akuma, even with moyashi's eye."

For once, Allen agreed, not bothering to correct the annoying nickname. Lavi seemed to pause, thinking for a moment as he looked around.

"Good point. But how long are we going to last out here before we turn to popsicles?"

Allen chuckled a bit, walking up ahead of the other three. Snow wasn't anything new to him, and despite the chilly ice, it didn't bug him as much as it would others.

"We'll be okay. Our uniform's are durable, so."

He could hear footsteps follow him after a few moments, and Allen shivered a bit, another gust of wind almost knocking him back. It must have been over an hour since they had first started, and Allen figured they were almost halfway through the small, misted forest. The fog was getting heavier, which strengthened his assumption.

He saw it before he felt his eye whirr.

Out of nowhere, the akuma jumped out of the trees, attempting to attack Allen. He blinked before activating his Innocence, immediately destroying the level one. The others seemed speechless, all stopping to stare at the mess on the now snow covered ground. Kanda broke the silence, his face stoic.

"That's the first level one I've seen in a long time…"

ii.

After another two hours of walking, exhaustion began to take its toll on Allen, the exorcist having to force himself to stay awake. Lack of sleep was catching up to him, and he cursed whatever luck he had that the toll would happen when he needed to be alert. The group had split up once they reached a three-way fork, Kanda going one way, Allen taking one route, and Lavi and Lenalee taking the remainder. At first, everyone disagreed on who would go with who – Lenalee had loudly proclaimed that Allen should _not_ be on his own in case a level four attacked in his condition, but he assured everyone – again – that he was capable of defending himself; the forest wasn't very large, either, so it wouldn't be hard to come to rescue _if_ he needed it. After a few minutes of constant arguing, Kanda finally got annoyed and pushed Allen in one of the directions before storming off on another, and no other words were said.

Allen didn't regret his decision, despite the desire of falling asleep on the comfortable-looking ground. The thought of another appearance of a dream kept him moderately alert, and his eye was thankfully reserved, not detecting any akuma nearby.

_But that doesn't rule out Noah's. _

The snow had receded a bit, giving a bit more – though still limited – visibility as he made his way through the twisting trees and soggy ground. His boots kept out any unneeded wetness, making his trek slightly easier. Tim had left his comfortable spot on Allen's shoulder to help lead the way, and Allen was grateful that he wasn't completely on his own. If worse came to worse, he could send Tim to the others.

He just hoped it wouldn't happen. Not again.

_The pain, the stabbing, burning pain – he could feel the life drift from his body, his heart pierced irrevocably –_

Allen shook his head, trying to disperse of the memory that haunted him even in the lightest of nights. It wouldn't be easy to forget about the night that Tyki had nearly killed him, but despite the fear of dying and the ways of the war, he'd never stop walking, because that was what he had promised to Mana.

"Hey, Tim," Allen said, grabbing the golem by it's tail. "You've gotten bigger. Maybe it's all of my food you've been eating."

Allen laughed when Tim bit Allen's finger, not able to pierce through the gloves he wore. At the thought of food, Allen thought he might have been sick, but he swallowed the bile – food was the last thing on his mind, despite his need for it because of his Innocence.

"I wonder why Leverrier called Link back. Maybe that's why Komui wanted us to come back?"

Tim just continued to fly around as Allen let go of it's tail, the golem peaceful. Suddenly, a high voice came over Timcanpy, and Allen sighed, waiting for the lecture he was going to get – they never reached the Order to let Komui know they had – or hadn't – gotten on the train, and Komui was probably worried. Allen felt a bit guilty; he really didn't want to worry the head chief.

"_Allen! Did you guys catch the train all right?"_

"We decided to look around a bit longer. We'll catch the train tonight – "

"_Why would you do that? I told you four to return to Headquarters immediately. You defied a direct order – "_

"Komui," Allen interrupted. "I know, but we can't just let this family issue go. They could still be out here."

Komui was silent, pondering Allen's words. The white haired exorcist waited patiently for what was to come, hoping to God Komui wasn't that angry at them. Allen would take the blame, anyways.

"Komui, it was my idea. I'm sorry."

"_It's fine, Allen. Just be careful, all right? And if you don't find anything by the end of the day, return to Headquarters immediately – no ifs, ands, or buts. Understood?"_

Allen nodded before realizing Komui couldn't see him.

"Yes."

There was silence once more, before Komui gave his partings words and hung up.

"_Be. Careful."_

When Allen heard the click, he sighed, lowering his head and closing his eyes. His head was starting to pound, and the constant ache was beginning to get on his nerves. Perhaps he was getting physically sick, and that's why his stomach couldn't handle anything except the occasional drink of water. After the beat up of all the akuma appearing within the last few days, he figured his body was worn out to an extent of pure exhaustion, and he desperately wished he could have _one_ good night of sleep without seeing images of the past – or images that could potentially become his future. Even as he was lost in his thoughts, he continued to walk, opening his eyes to avoid any trees or stumps on the ground. The fog was getting lighter and lighter, and Allen figured he was getting to the end of the forest. However, there had still been no sign of the family, nor anything that could be considered suspicious – the arm they had found only a day prior was gone, and Allen couldn't figure out for the life of him where it could have possibly gone. He doubted the wind or rain moved it, but even the dried blood had been washed away.

"Timcanpy, do you think the family is still here? Or had Dile ordered the akuma to hunt them down and kill them?"

Tim – obviously not capable of speech – was silent, seeming to ponder Allen's question. His question was rhetorical, since he didn't expect an answer, but just by asking it out loud, it helped him to think. Static over Timcanpy caused Allen to tilt his head to his side, wondering why Komui would be calling again.

"_Moyashi, we're out of the forest. Where are you?"_

Allen had forgotten that Kanda had another golem with him.

"Still in the forest, but it looks like I'm nearing the end."

"_Make it quick."_

Kanda hung up, and Allen huffed at the rudeness.

"Nothing new, I suppose."

Tim nodded, also used to Kanda's lack of manners around Allen. It didn't phase the cursed boy anymore, though he sometimes wished Kanda was slightly more thoughtful. Despite the crude way Kanda could act, Allen still cared about his comrade – when Kanda had said he'd stay behind to fight Skinn in the Ark, Allen was more worried then he let on. When he had thought Lavi and Chaoji had plummeted to death, he had been lost in his anger, fighting the Earl. And when he played the Musician's melody, Allen had immediately thought of his friends, desperate to bring them back.

_But we're all alive now. Except Master…_

Allen rubbed his nose, the cold making it itch slightly. He froze when his eye made the familiar sound, the wheels turning as it detected nearby akuma. The detector didn't show any at first, but slowly, more and more began to arrive on the radar – five grew to six, six grew to seven, eventually turning to be eleven. Allen began to panic slightly, activating his Innocence. He swore he could see the outer edge of the forest, and he began running, Tim keeping up with him.

"Tim, connect to Kanda's golem!"

Tim did just that, and he heard the connection before yelling.

"Kanda, are you there?"

"_What is it now, moya – "_

Allen cursed, interrupting the samurai as the akuma began to get closer. A laugh played over in his head, and he knew there was at least one level four. Panic tried to settle, but he warded it off, knowing it wasn't the right time to lose his head. His Innocence would protect him, and even with his injuries, he could still fight.

"Eleven akuma are heading my way. Do you know what path I'm on?"

Lavi's voice came over the golem, sounding extremely worried.

"_Are there any level four's? We know what path, but we don't know where _you_ are!"_

Allen sped up a bit faster, the laughs getting louder as he realized there was more than one level four.

"Sounds like… Half are level four. I'll ward them off a bit; I won't reach you in time. Just follow the path!"

Kanda took control of the golem once again, sounding between pissed off and… A bit worried?

"_Just defend, moyashi. Don't go fighting them head on, you're – "_

"In no condition, I got it, but I'll take out any lower levels."

"_All right. We shouldn't be too long."_

Kanda ceased the connection, and Allen stopped running, rolling his human hand along his Innocence as it turned to the familiar sword – it was the easiest way to defend. His Innocence seemed to read his body movements, his cowl protecting him with Crown Belt. Allen watched as his vision became slighting obscured from the silver mask, but it barely affected him anymore. He set his sword in the ground, the snow flying up around him. His eye could still detect eleven akuma, and they were getting closer, but he swore he could also hear speedy footsteps getting closer – he assumed it was his comrades, but he realized too late he was wrong. The eleven akuma burst from the trees, snow and fog flying everywhere, causing him to cough into his arm, trying to protect his face from the intrusion. A sick laugh entered his ears, and Allen felt the blood drain from his face, the eleven level four akuma circling him along with someone far too familiar.

"We meet again, Allen. I won't fail this time."

_Tyki. Oh no._


	11. Chapter 11

Well, this is the chapter Allen gets his worse injuries in the story thus far. And the story picks up! I've been working on some art for this story as well, just to send more of a visual. Since my scanner still isn't hooked up, when it is, I'll post some links onto my profile if anyone is interested, and I'll leave a note at the beginning of a chapter as well. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and since I can't respond to anonymous reviews, I'd like to do it here.

_Accountless,_ thank you for your wonderful review! I loved reading it, and thank you for recommending the stories; as soon as I get a chance, I'll check them out. And don't worry; this'll be my main priority until it's finished – possibly a sequel, depending on how this ends. (Which is a surprise, of course!) And the Road episode will be explained, once the time is right. ;) Thank you for your review nonetheless, and I'll try and keep the updating quick!

Other then that, here's chapter eleven, after only a day once again! I've been working on it all afternoon, since I was itching to write the scene with Tyki. So here it is! Expect chapter twelve tomorrow. (It's night here where I am.) Enjoy, and leave a review once you're finished? :) They fuel me to write! :3

* * *

11.

[the brink of death; echoes in the dark]

'_Just a puppet on a set of unbreakable strings, bounding him to a fate he couldn't fight or change.'_

_

* * *

_i.

"Don't bother attacking, boy. You know what will happen."

Allen said nothing, not turning around, not blinking. Just frozen in one spot, eradicating his breathing as it became shallow. He wasn't particularly afraid of the Noah's, despite their strength; he had fought the Earl, multiple Noah's, and he had survived on all occasions. What worried him was the fact that he was surrounded on every side, every side in between _every side,_ by level four akumas that could easily ambush him at once and end his life. Tyki's footsteps were getting increasingly louder, pacing against the white fluff that covered almost every inch of ground. Allen's Innocence was still lodged in the snow, his hand gripped firmly around the hilt as his knuckles turned white from the force. Timcanpy had taken cover, watching the incident silently in case he needed to intervene – which included speeding up Kanda, Lavi, and Lenalee if they didn't arrive soon.

"Not going to say hi? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Allen closed his eyes, willing the panic to disappear. He wasn't alone –

_You're alone for this one, Allen. You don't know when they'll arrive._

Blinking, he opened his eyes, surprised at the sudden voice in his head. He was sure hearing things was a sign of craziness, but he didn't care at that moment, instead focusing on what was happening. Tyki's footsteps had ceased, and Allen couldn't tell how close the Noah was until he felt breath on his neck, the warm breeze sending a chill down the core of his spine.

"Why are you here?" He asked, his voice only slightly betraying the calm façade he had. Tyki laughed a bit, walking in front of Allen so they were face to face. He was dressed casually, like usual; his white dress shirt was undone at the top, and his black pants were wrinkle-free just like all the other times they had met. Allen could only imagine the look on his face; part of it was obscured by the silver mask that was helping to support him. The purple Tease butterfly danced above Tyki, itching to destroy something.

_Like your heart._

Allen mentally shook his head, pulling his sword out of the ground as the fog and snow mixed together in a flurry of blinding particles. He hoisted the large sword on his shoulder, trying to act as deceivably calm as he could. Tyki bought it, raising an eyebrow at the sudden change of behavior.

"So you're not scared. This might be interesting."

Allen glared, taking a few steps back to put distance between the two. Tyki looked far too at ease, and it was starting to worry Allen. Something was different about this meeting, he knew; it was as if Tyki wasn't here to destroy the exorcist.

"Ah, well, anyways. Wasted enough time. So, this is a nice forest, don't you think? A bit foggy."

Totally caught off guard, Allen blinked a few times, trying to make sense of the words. He knew Tyki was odd, but this was just a bit much. The Noah shrugged as he looked around, an inquisitive look on his features.

"So, why are _you_ here, anyways?"

Allen didn't respond, staying still as Tyki waited for an answer.

"No response, eh? Well, that's all right. I think I know why you're here; if you're looking for them, it's too late. They've already been taken care of. Such a shame I couldn't find the Innocence, however; that girl had lost it before I killed her. Road said you had it, but… Well, nevertheless."

The ill feeling returned, and Allen thought he might wretch right there. Anger welled up inside him, the man in front of him smirking as he finally got a reaction from the cursed boy. The familiar, large smile crept onto his face, his eyes screaming madness and Allen backed up a bit more. It was wrong. Everything was wrong – he was beginning to doubt that what he was seeing was even real.

_What's happening? Why do I feel this way?_

"The Fourteenth is taking his toll, isn't he? You're losing yourself. Soon, you'll be nothing but an empty shell that'll be filled by the traitor."

Allen shook his head, ceasing his steps when his back met something hard, the tree shaking from the impact as compacted snow gently drifted into his hair and onto his face. His eye was still activated, searching around in a desperate attempt to seek out anymore akuma.

"I was told to capture you… But I think it'll be more fun to just watch the Fourteenth take over. Then we'll kill you."

Allen glared, the words playing in his mind like a broken record as the truth and lies became mixed into a blinding blur. Tyki laughed, the Tease continuing to dance around his hand –

_The butterfly seemed to be appearing more and more –_

Images and pictures of his dreams began to play, and Allen winced in pain as a sudden wave of agony erupted in his chest. His mind was becoming numb, the world teetering on the thin line of consciousness and blissful darkness. Tyki rushed forward, choking Allen as he felt his feet lift the ground, dropping his sword on the ground.

"Your eyes flicker gold, boy. Maybe it's closer then we thought."

He felt his left arm return, but the numb feeling was spreading from internally in his mind, to externally throughout his body. The grip on his throat was constricting his breathing, and shallow gasps were all that escaped as the Tease landed on Tyki's hand, looking up at Allen as the purple and black tendrils gathered together. Dark spots entrapped his vision, Tyki's dark face and gold eyes fading from view.

"Master Tyki, I can hear some other exorcist's coming! Shall we get them?"

"Yes," Tyki responded, tightening his grip on Allen's neck – it wasn't enough to completely suffocate him, but any action Allen could have taken was rendered useless as his body was becoming slowly paralyzed.

"No…" He choked out, and he felt the golden golem enter his human hand, Timcanpy sending a silent message that it'd worn the others. Even if Tyki's main goal wasn't to kill Allen, he hadn't said anything about the others, and he wasn't about to let their lives be jeopardized. In his delirious state, Allen swore he could hear Lavi talking, communicating a message that Allen almost felt like laughing at.

_Fight like hell, bean sprout!_

He wanted too; he wanted to escape Tyki's painful grasp and help his friends, but his vision was becoming far too unfocused as his mind was becoming dead like so many times before.

"Don't worry; their deaths will be quick and painless… Well, maybe not painless."

Bubbling up in his chest was an unusual source of energy, rage fueling his strength as he grabbed Tyki's arm, trying to pry it away from his throat. Tyki smiled, slightly surprised by the sudden movement, as he let go of Allen and watched him hit the ground. Coughing, Allen rubbed the tender spot on his neck, trying to regain his balance. He hadn't even realized that the cowl had disappeared, and he activated his Innocence, the support easing him up. Tyki backed up a bit, the same smile on his face as his curled hair reminded Allen of what he had seen in the mirror – the gold…

_No, not now._

Allen quickly ran his human hand along his left arm, grabbing the hilt of the sword and rolling over to get away from Tyki, who attempted to grab him once again. A few akuma still remained in the area, and Tyki signalled them to attack, Allen watching out of the corner of his eye as four of the akuma lunged forward. Jumping up right before the hit, the akuma ended up running into each other, and if it hadn't been for the fact that Allen's very life was in danger, the situation could have been considered comical. Explosions were sounded in the distance, and Allen figured Timcanpy had made it to the others in time. This fueled Allen even more as he landed gracefully on the ground, his sword running through an unexpected akuma. He felt the repercussion from the destruction, the force of impact making his hair dance around his face. Tyki shrugged, unfazed by the events. Another akuma attempted to attack Allen, but he dodged, lunging forward with as much strength as he could as he ran his Innocence through the machinery. Another explosion, and only two akuma remained in the area. He knew they weren't fighting with all their strength, for Tyki had even said that the Earl wanted to kill Allen himself. One of the akuma screamed, frustrated.

"Master, can't we just kill him? It'll be so much easier!"

Tyki glanced over, a bored look on his face.

"If you do, you'll have to deal with the Earl. However, it's up to you."

The akuma smiled – if that was possible – and let loose a flurry of spikes, all heading towards Allen's head.

"Crown Belt!" He cried, grabbing onto a nearby branch as he swung out of the way, the spikes continuing in a straight line.

"Haha, exorcist! That's my special ability! They'll keep following you until you're dead!"

_Like Cross's Judgement? _

Allen cursed, landing on the ground from his perch atop the tree. As the spikes made a complete three sixty turn, Allen lifted up the sword just in time, the large weapon taking the damage as the sharply cut spikes tried to break through. A small crack split down the middle of the sword, and Allen stared at it, at loss for words.

His Innocence had been damaged.

The akuma continued to laugh as the second one let loose another attack, sound waves piercing Allen's head as images filled his mind.

_Mana, dead, on the ground with a puddle of crimson surrounding him far too fast._

_Cross, gone, the only evidence of his presence of being there was the large red stain on the wall and the broken pieces of Judgement. _

_Kanda, life draining swiftly and surely as Lavi's breathing stopped, Lenalee crying and alone._

_Komui, the entire Order destroyed as the orange flames highlighted the tragedy._

…_The Fourteenth's face, becoming perfectly clear in the mirror as he lost himself to the legacy -_

"Stop!" Allen shouted, overwhelmed by the clarity that had been witnessed. He fell to his knees, trying to blink away tears as everything began crashing around him, the akuma laughing. Tyki was still smiling, standing casually as he watched the entire event unfold.

"Your ability is useful. Boy, what you saw was the past and what could – will – happen. Does it scare you?"

Allen tried to regain his breath, the images fading as quickly as they had appeared. All the strength he had was gone, his body tired and strained from the beat up it had taken over the prior days, He collapsed to the ground, the cold seeping through his uniform and into his skin as he laid stomach down, his hair shadowing his face. Crunching of snow alerted him to someone approaching him, and he faintly recognized Tyki as the Noah kneeled down, the everlasting smile still large on his face.

"…Shall I destroy your Innocence? It's rumored that it could be the Heart. If not, I'll find the girl."

Allen tried to protest, but even as he tried to speak, no words came out. Tyki reached forward, placing a hand on his chest, directly over where Allen's wounds were concealed.

"You're injured. I could easily make them worse…"

The Tease flew over, landing on the spot Tyki's hand was as he removed the limb, the butterfly entering Allen's body. Fear filled his mind, but he was thankful that it wasn't his heart like before. Pain filled him as the Tease was flying around once again, something warm flowing from his chest and staining his uniform, the crimson becoming clear on the white snow. Allen squeezed his eyes, the pain overwhelming as unconsciousness became an option once again. He opened his eyes, the akuma laughing as Tyki still kneeled over him.

"Not enough pain?"

Tyki set his hand upon Allen's cheek, opposite of his cursed eye, and the Tease followed once again, eating away the skin in a thin line that stretched from his hairline, all the way down to the bottom of his face as the Tease went around his eye. As the blood leaked out, turning his white hair red, Allen bit his tongue, trying to swallow the bile, but he still coughed, blood spilling from his mouth and down his chin.

"Your Innocence?"

Tyki reached toward the sword, which lay forgotten beside Allen. He was about to reach forward to crush it, but the Noah glanced behind him when footsteps raced forward. Caught off guard as he went flying over Allen, he saw a pissed off Kanda – well, he was usually pissed off anyways – as he held Mugen in two, the blue light connecting the swords. Allen smiled slightly, the fog making his vision blur. Without warning, his own Innocence deactivated, the cowl disappearing as his sword became his arm. He looked over, remembering the spikes that had damaged it, and he saw three scratches stretch out over his forearm. Another explosion sounded, and Lavi and Lenalee banded together to defeat the last akuma. As Allen's eye activated, he realized that all eleven level four akuma had been destroyed, and he watched as the soul was freed from its chains and returned to the afterlife. His whole body was in agony, but his mind was numbing once again, darkness welcoming with its embrace. He heard the sick laugh, Tyki not bothering to get into a fighting stance as he leaned over Allen.

"The Earl will kill you, Allen Walker."

And he disappeared, Tease and all. Kanda growled, deactivating his own Innocence and sheathing Mugen as he kneeled down beside Allen. The cursed boy watched as the samurai lifted him up, transferring him to his back to carry Allen piggy-back style. He felt completely detached, and he knew he was going to lose consciousness soon. Lenalee was crying slightly, tears leaking down her cheeks as the snow turned to rain. Lavi put a hand on her shoulder, looking at Allen.

"You're alive this time, Allen. We'll get you too the hospital, just stay awake, all right?"

"Tch, moyashi isn't going to stay conscious in his state," Kanda said, answering before the nearly-unconscious boy could. "Moyashi, are you bleeding? I can feel it on my back."

Allen nodded, realizing they wouldn't be able to tell just how bad the Tease had gotten him.

"Tease… Through clothes and directly to the wound."

Lenalee gasped, covering her mouth.

"You don't mean – "

"He wasn't trying to kill me," Allen said, interrupting the panicking exorcist and trying to calm her down. "It was the pre-existing wounds he opened. I don't know how bad…"

His voice was scratchy and hoarse, his words fading in and out of each other as his focus was becoming less prominent. The dark aura he had been feeling returned, except much stronger and more darker. It etched in his mind, caressing him as he began to lose the battle with reality. He heard Lavi mutter under his breath, _damn Noah!_, and he smiled slightly, closing his eyes. Kanda looked over his shoulder as they began walking out of the forest, glancing to the dying exorcist on his back.

"You may not stay conscious, but don't you go dying either, or I'll personally bring you back and kill you again."

Allen nodded, his vision already black. The only part of him alert was his mind.

_What I saw… What that akuma did… Was Tyki planning that?_

That was the last thought he had before he became dead to the world, his heart beat slow and painful as the blood drained from his body.

ii.

The light from the room glowed behind his eyelids, the constant beeping the only sound he could hear. His eyes were heavy, refusing to open, and he was beginning to wonder if he was even awake. Black was all he could see as it filled the emptiness, his body weightless and blissfully numb. There was no pain, no thoughts, just him and the dark. A voice broke the silence, echoing in the state he was in, bouncing off the darkness as it struck him loud and clear.

_The Fourteenth is taking his toll, isn't he? You're losing yourself. Soon, you'll be nothing but an empty shell that'll be filled by the traitor._

Maybe Tyki was right, he realized. What if the Fourteenth was the reason behind all the strange occurrences he had been witnessing, the butterfly an omen to what was to come? It scared him slightly; he wasn't prepared to lose himself. But what if that was what he was all along? Just a puppet on a set of unbreakable strings, bounding him to a fate he couldn't fight or change? The dark seemed to become darker, the invisible walls closing in on him as his breathing became raspy and short. His eyes had remained closed, but even behind the covers, he could feel the crushing impact as it got nearer and nearer –

Then there was nothing.

iii.

"We'll transfer him to the Order; there's better care. Better then a small village, anyways. I do thank you for trying to find the missing family, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

An unfamiliar voice filled him, and he furrowed his brows in confusion. At the mention of the family, guilt filled his stomach as he remembered what Tyki had said; if Tyki was right, then there really was no hope for the lost family, and his condition, there'd be no way he'd get away with returning to finish his investigation. As the remnants of sleep began to wear off, Allen blearily opened his eyes, the light invading his vision all at once. He blinked a few times, trying to warm up to the new addition, but when it didn't work he settled on gently closing his eyes. He felt a hand on his forehead, the warm skin feeling good against the cold chill he had.

"Allen, you're awake. Are you feeling all right?"

"Don't overwhelm him, Lenalee. He must be completely confused."

Allen recognized both Lavi and Lenalee's voices, and he attempted a smile, opening his eyes once again. Their faces immediately filled his vision; Lenalee had a worried look on her face, but it was also relieved as her hair fell over her face. Lavi was grinning widely, his red hair brighter then Allen had remembered. A small nurse stood beside him. She looked in her thirties, her brown hair pulled tightly into a bun, her white uniform spotless as she held a clipboard in her hands.

"Hello, Mr. Walker. I'm glad you're awake. Your friends were worried, but you're all right now. You'll be returning to the Order; everything has been taken care of. Do you feel well enough to ride a train, or shall we postpone the trip?"

Allen took all the information in, trying to untangle the words. He _was_ relatively pain free, despite the encounter with Tyki. At remembering the incident, he sat up, dizziness assaulting him. Lavi grabbed his arm, holding him up until the world became still. Allen smiled his thanks, looking down at his bandaged chest. There were more bandages then before; thick, white material covered his stomach, and continued up all the way over his right shoulder. Blood had already seeped through, some of the white turned crimson over his chest. He touched his cheek, the same material running down the dies of his face, only slightly obscuring his right eye. His head had been re-bandaged, and Allen assumed his hair must have fallen over some of the material. His Innocence had a single white piece going over the scratches, making a bow with the two ends of the piece. His throat throbbed painfully, and assumed the bruise had grown thanks to Tyki.

"You've been given a shot of painkillers. Thankfully, no internal organs were damaged."

Allen nodded at the nurse, still not able to speak.

"Your voice is probably scratchy from the lack of use. You've been out for three days, after all."

The nurse smiled, and Allen's eyes widened, shocked that he had been out for that long.

"If you feel up to the train ride," she interrupted his thoughts, tapping her clipboard. "Nod your head."

Allen untangled the words, nodding as he smiled slightly. The nurse smiled one last time before leaving, shutting the door behind her. As Allen glanced over, he realized Kanda was in the room as well, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He was wearing a light blue shirt and his uniform pants, and Allen remembered that it had been Kanda who carried him back.

"Kanda, thanks – "

"Don't say it, moyashi."

"It's Allen, Bakanda."

"That's more like it," Kanda said, opening his eyes to smirk. Lavi slapped his head, and Lenalee stood speechless. Allen assumed it was because of the small exchange they had just witnessed, but Lavi pointed at Allen frantically, a smile on his face.

"The nurse said you probably wouldn't be able to talk for at least a week! Apparently, however you got the bruise around your neck, ruptured your throat."

Allen blinked a few times, saying off-handedly, "That was when Tyki was choking me."

Lavi's smile dimmed slightly, and Lenalee took a sad look on her face. Kanda looked away, casting his eyes downward, and Allen was left to wonder what they were thinking.

"Allen… We're sorry," Lenalee said, her tone worried and sad, as if Allen might be mad. He was dumbfounded for a moment, before realizing what she meant.

"Don't be. You guys still got there in time, and it wasn't your fault. None of us could have expected Tyki – "

"We should have assumed the worse could happen," Kanda interrupted. "We're exorcists. We're going to be hunted, especially by the Noah and the Earl. It was a stupid mistake."

Allen sighed, closing his eyes as he lowered his head. The guilt mixed with the darkness returned, but he ignored it, not in the mood to deal with it. His stomach was feeling sick, and he placed a hand over the material, his stomach churning.

"Moyashi, when was the last time you ate?"

Allen thought for a moment, looking up and opening his eyes. He couldn't remember – it had been a while, but he thought of food was still enough to cause him to vomit. When he didn't answer, Kanda spoke, his tone slightly angry.

"Tch, no wonder you look so fucking skinny. Have you looked in a mirror lately? You look like you're fucking sick."

Allen turned away; the answer to the question would have been yes. He had looked in a mirror, and the flash of gold and the curled ends of his white hair played over in his mind, causing the blood to drain from his face. A tense silence settled over the group, no one was sure of what to say. After a few moments, Lenalee broke the silence, her tone a bit lighter then before.

"Well, either way, it's time to go. Allen, your stuff has been packed, and the train will be arriving in an hour. Brother is excited we're coming home!"

Allen smiled at the prospect, and he looked up at Lenalee, his heart heavy and his body beginning to ache.

"Did you reach Komui?"

As soon as he said that, Timcanpy buzzed by, slamming into Allen's face. He yelped in surprise, grabbing the golem by it's tail as he smiled.

"Well, hello Tim."

Lavi laughed, scratching his head.

"He actually saved you yesterday. He flew straight into us, showing us what had happened, and then led us straight to where you were."

Allen nodded, not surprised. He had felt Tim in his hand before it had flown off, and he was grateful to the small golem, which was still getting bigger. As a more comfortable silence blanketed them, Tim resting in his hair, Allen began to see the images again that the akuma had placed in his mind, and a headache began forming, causing him to groan slightly.

"Allen?" Lenalee sounded worried again.

"It's nothing," he replied, rubbing his forehead despite the bandages. "Just a bit of a headache."

No one in the room was convinced.


	12. Chapter 12

_Note; I changed the summary for the story, since it fit better. However, it changes nothing in the story whatsoever, so no worries._

Ah, did I mention that this story was angst? Heh… Anyways, as far as I know, the Order was relocated in England, and that's what I'm using for this story. As for the trip length from Japan to England, I have no idea the actual time, but I'm assuming it's much more then a day; however, for the sake of the story, that's how long. Let's just say the train to the Order is fast and without stops. And I put warnings for character death, if it's in the story. This isn't a warning. Make sense? That's all I'll say. :3 And hopefully I'll get my scanner hooked up. I've drawn some sketches from the story for more of a visual, and I've drawn a few scenes that have yet to come up. If anyone is interested, I'll leave a note when they're on.

Anyways, this chapter was a bit harder to write, since it's only now starting to delve into the main point of the story (which will last a while…) and I'm not sure I did a great job at handling it. It's a bit shorter then the last chapter, but the average length from here on out will be longer then this. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and the like, and leave something on your way out? I'd love to read them!

* * *

12.

[foreshadow]

'_He swore he could taste death.'_

_

* * *

_i._  
_

The outside world blended in a mix of colors, blurring together as the train began to pick up speed and ride past the scenery. Allen stared, not really seeing what was outside the window, instead focusing on trying to clear his mind of the thoughts that assaulted him relentlessly. After the akuma had put the images into his head, it had been his constant companion, replaying over and over like a broken record; Allen, quite frankly, was sick of it. He wasn't sure if that was part of the akuma's ability or not – to have a lasting effect – or if it was his own mind trying to send him a message he just wasn't receiving. An insistent pounding had made itself known once Allen boarded the train with his companions, his head almost beating in tune with his heart. It had created a migraine that wouldn't disperse; no matter how many times Allen had massaged his temples or tried to relax, he was still in pain. He could feel the painkillers wearing off, for a slight burning was beginning to ignite in the general area of his wounds. The train ride would take a day, and he hoped to God that the pain would subside until then, so he could get at least a few hours of sleep before reaching home.

Small bits of conversation dozed in and out of Allen's hearing, but he wasn't paying attention to what Lavi and Lenalee were discussing. They were quiet, and even if Allen had tried to pay attention, he probably would have had trouble hearing anyways. Kanda was lost in his own mind as usual, not saying a word and not glancing toward any of the members of the small compartment they were sharing. He was seated beside Allen, Mugen hanging precariously out of his hand as if waiting for an attack. Allen noticed Lavi's hand twitch toward his own Innocence a few times, and even Lenalee was showing signs of agitation, her legs crossing and uncrossing continuously. It was starting to drive the young exorcist mad, the tension becoming unbearable. He glanced back to the window, the droplets of rain racing down the glass as it did so many times before.

He covered his mouth as he coughed, his head spinning as something warm and crimson leaked into his hand; it was happening more.

The conversation had become strained, Kanda trying not to glance over to the fragile exorcist beside him. Allen closed his eyes and breathed for a few minutes, taking the offered tissue from Lavi as he wiped his hands and the small drops on around his mouth. His head was pounding even more, and Allen leaned his back against the seat, closing his eyes and trying to shut out the world. Once again, the images flashed before his eyes – Mana and Cross, dead. What made him nervous was the fact that two of the images he had seen had already happened; who was to say that the other images wouldn't come true?

_They won't… They can't._

But no matter how many times he had tried to convince himself, the inkling of doubt washed away the little flame of hope he had. The shadowing aura still followed him, joining as one of his constant companions he couldn't rid himself of. It trapped him in its hold, as if trying to choke away any light sources.

"Allen? Would you like a drink, or anything?"

Said boy opened his eyes, looking over to Lenalee as a Finder stood nervously. He smiled warmly – as he could in his state, anyways – and shook his head, his white hair slightly compressed due to the bandage that wrapped tightly around. Lenalee looked at him a bit longer before turning away, worry and disappointment far too evident in her eyes. Allen averted his own gaze, the window becoming the main focus in his vision once again. The odd weather had changed once again, the rain turning into hail and snow as it pounded at the glass. The lake they were currently passing had nearly frozen over, the once aquamarine waves turning crystalline from the dip in temperature. The icy surface wasn't sturdy, however, and any attempt at walking across the cold terrain would probably cost a trip into the freezing depths below. A sudden flash appeared before Allen's eyes, the train swerving off course and into the water, shattering the crystalline into a million pieces –

Allen quickly looked away, willing what he just saw to disappear. Tim seemed to sense his distress, nesting deeper onto his shoulder, rustling the black material of the overcoat. Allen tried to smile, but he felt sick to his stomach, the train suddenly going too fast. He closed his eyes once again, emptying his mind as best as possible while the outside world continued to bypass him. When he opened his eyes a few minutes later, it was if nothing changed; Kanda was still silent and alone, Mugen ready to strike. Lavi and Lenalee had become silent, but Allen could easily tell they were on edge, both ready for a fight. He figured he shouldn't be surprised, for after all the attacks that had been conducted on the four exorcists, it was likely another one would occur on the way home. Allen's eye activated at thought of this, searching for any nearby demons. He shook his head to the others, letting them know it was just a precaution, when Kanda had quickly turned around with his grip on his sword tightening, Lavi jumping up while grabbing his own Innocence. When Allen assured them all was well, Kanda returned to his original position and Lavi sat back down, striking up a tense conversation with Lenalee. She seemed mildly interested, but her mind seemed to be somewhere else, only partially participating in the exchange; Lavi seemed to be no different.

A knock on the compartment door startled Allen slightly, his eye still activated. He was a bit confused when an akuma appeared on the radar, and when the compartment opened, a young gentleman, dressed in a black tuxedo, smiled kindly as he prepared to ask a question.

Allen gave him no chance, activating his Innocence and quickly running his hand through the man, the true form appearing and exploding. He signalled for the others to stay down, detecting whether there was anymore demons or not. When none appeared or were detected, he breathed a sigh of relief, taking his seat beside Kanda once again.

"You shouldn't be fighting right now, Allen," Lavi said, his tone condescending.

"Element of surprise. As long as I had the upper hand, a battle ceased to exist."

Lavi still looked a bit worried, but he nodded his head nonetheless, dropping the topic. Allen was grateful, not in the mood to be fussed over. The sudden movement had caused him a bit of discomfort, but because of the painkillers, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. However, the scratches he received on his Innocence due to the level four akuma began to stung, and Allen untied the bandage and pulled it away, the thin lines growing deeper. Kanda noticed this as well, grabbing Allen's wrist and taking a look.

"You shouldn't activate until Komui takes a look. Last thing we need is for your Innocence to shatter. Again."

Allen nodded, surprised that Kanda hadn't sounded angry or annoyed – he hadn't had a tone in his voice at all, instead just stating what needed to be said. The way he had said 'again' was neither reprimanding nor rude, and it was simply just said as a warning. It seemed weird to Allen, for the stoic samurai would usually tell Allen off or something of the sort. Shrugging, Allen stretched out his arms, suddenly feeling very tired. He leaned his head against the cold panel, the glass cooling off his face as he closed his eyes. He knew sleep wasn't probable, but he didn't particularly care. His body was exhausted, and he figured that the events were finally catching up to him physically, his body like lead as it spread throughout. Allen gathered that it probably wasn't a good thing, but other thoughts were swarming his mind, effectively pushing everything away.

_Other then the images with Cross and Mana, everything else can't be true…_

Allen mentally sighed, the one sided dialogue nothing new.

_But Cross did say that I'd end up destroying – _

Despite what Cross had told him, Allen didn't believe it, not _wanting_ to believe he'd destroy his friends. But as the days went on and the assignments began getting overwhelming, it seemed as if the Fourteenth's grasp was tightening, the shadow developing startling clarity.

Even as he buckled beneath the thoughts, Allen was still able to fall asleep, the sudden lack of consciousness surprising him.

ii.

"Allen."

"_You're falling into a state that you won't be able to escape."_

"Allen?"

_He looked into the water, his reflection smirking and distorting into something else, something more vile –_

"Moyashi, wake the hell up!"

"Kanda, was that really necessary? I'm sure I could have gotten him up without yelling…"

Allen groaned, his vision fuzzy as sleep clouded his eyes. He sat up, rubbing his head in an attempt to clear his groggy mind, but he just proceeded to make the confusion worse. Lenalee and Kanda stood over him, Lenalee looking apologetic whilst Kanda began to storm out of the compartment. Lavi's snores drifted into his ears, and he blinked a few times, things starting to make a bit of sense.

"I hope you slept well. You've been out the entire day; Lavi fell asleep too… Anyways, we'll be reaching the station in an hour. Maybe you should get something to eat?"

Lenalee continued to ramble on, and Allen was beginning to have trouble keeping up.

"- and sorry about Kanda, I told him I'd wake you and Lavi up, but I guess – "

"O-okay, Lenalee," Allen stuttered, the rambling becoming too much for him to handle. "I'm awake now, and it's fine. I guess I was just really tired. But I'm going to go get a drink – "

"Do you want me to get you it? You shouldn't be moving around too much."

Allen appreciated the offer, but he wasn't keen on having Lenalee do everything for him. Despite his injuries – which were becoming more pained by the second – he was still able to fend for himself. Lenalee seemed to realize this, quickly stepping away and smiling.

"Sorry, Allen. Just be careful, okay?" Her tone had become light, and he smiled warmly, standing up and leaving her to deal with the sleeping bookman-in-training. As he walked down the hallway, looking for any sign of life, he realized there was none; not even Kanda was in the vicinity as he continued down the small stretch of space. He paused for a moment, scratching his head and thinking. The train suddenly shook, causing Allen to fall backwards as he held out his hands to stifle some of the impact. A loud noise sounded from outside as the train continued to whistle forward, and he expected his eye to go off. Oddly, his eye stayed quiet, showing no signs of any akuma. He sat for a moment, waiting for anything, surprised when nothing happened.

"Moyashi, get up, would you? You're blocking the way."

Allen yelped when Kanda grabbed his arm, pulling him up so he was standing once again.

"I guess the explosion knocked you back, too."

"Explosion?" He asked, confusion evident in his voice. Kanda nodded, looking around as the train seemed to be back on track.

"Something went off outside. Not sure what it was, but it wasn't an akuma. Almost knocked us off course; good thing it didn't, other wise we would have landed in the lake."

_The train swerving off course and into the water, shattering the crystalline into a million pieces – _

"Moyashi?"

Allen forced his arm out of the samurai's grip, trying to regulate his breathing as it became shallow. It was too coincidental, the same view he had before flashing in his vision once again.

"Tch, calm down, moyashi. We're fine – "

"It's not that, Kanda. Just… it's nothing. I'm fine."

Allen schooled his breathing, the short breaths becoming controlled once again as he smiled. Kanda looked skeptical, but he said nothing else on the matter. The young exorcist headed back to the compartment, leaving Kanda to wonder what the hell had just happened. As he made his way back, Allen sighed, placing his hand upon his head as a sign of distress. What he had just seen – again – was haunting his mind, replaying itself. He smiled slightly when Timcanpy landed on his nose, giving Allen a weird look.

"There you are, Tim. Is Lavi awake?"

The golem nodded, leading Allen back so he wouldn't get lost. Allen made a noise of indignity, grabbing the golem by it's tail.

"How can I get lost on a train, Tim? I'm not that bad."

Tim just continued leading the way, Allen following with a solemn look on his face.

iii.

Thankfully, the rest of the ride had passed without incident, the akuma leaving the exorcist's be for once. When they had reached headquarters, Komui had greeted them with a fairly loud welcome, partially deafening Allen. Only a few minutes had passed before Komui forced the four to the cafeteria, saying Jerry had prepared something 'wonderful just for the four of you after your long journey!' Link had also accompanied Komui, nodding his hello to Allen as he resumed his job. There was no sign of injury visible on the blonde man, and Allen became slightly suspicious. As they made their way to the large room, various members of the Order greeted them and welcomed them home, and Allen felt a sense of warmth come over him.

"They didn't mind staying up this late. Of course, some of the Finders are in bed, and the Generals aren't here right now. Miranda and Noise are also on a mission, Krory too. They should be back soon."

Allen absentmindedly paid attention to Komui's words, still a bit tired despite his long nap on the train. It was nearing one in the morning, and he was surprised Jerry was willing to cook that late – the thought of food still made his stomach churn, though, and he was trying to devise a way to escape the sickly smell that was entering his nostrils; before he had acquired the ill feeling, the aroma would have lured him straight to the cafeteria, but now it was playing with his willpower to keep the vomit in his stomach. Lenalee seemed to notice this, for she looked apologetic – again – but even she couldn't figure out a way to explain to her brother. Kanda smirked, seeming to find a way easily. Allen had a feeling he knew where this was going –

"Komui, I think moyashi needs to make a detour. Isn't that right?"

Allen glared, about to retort, when Komui had taken a look of pure malice-slash-joy on his face.

"Riiiiiiight! Allen, we need to fix your Innocence! Can't bypass that. Now come on, you can eat later!"

Allen sighed, waving to the others as he was dragged off his hood, Komui laughing. He knew it was bad when even Link was wearing a look of pity.

"Bye, bean sprout!" Lavi called, Lenalee shaking her head as Kanda continued down the hallway, turning to head to his room instead of the cafeteria. Allen glared, connecting the pieces to what Kanda's plan was.

_Curse you, Bakanda…_

iv.

"Allen," Komui said as he prepared his tools, examining Allen's Innocence carefully. "How are you feeling? I was told about your injuries, of course, and I'm afraid you'll be going to the infirmary tonight instead of your room."

Allen nodded, not surprised. He had figured he'd be under care again after the Tease had made his severe injuries even _worse._

"Well, right now I'm fine."

Komui nodded, understanding. Allen looked away as Komui finished preparing, the procedure almost exactly as it had been the first time he joined the Order. There was a large amount of pain before it subsided, the loud noise worsening the migraine that had decided to return. When his arm went numb, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, wiping the sweat from his brow as he turned back to look at Komui. The chief of science had taken on a look of apology, cleaning up as he helped Allen to his feet. Link was silent as he sat in a nearby chair, looking slightly queasy from the sight he had just witnessed. Allen smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"All right, would you like to get something to eat?"

Allen shook his head, stretching out his fingers on his left hand, the bandages adding to the collection of white material on his body as they covered the area where the scratches had been.

"No, thank you. I think I'm just going to get some sleep…"

Komui seemed slightly shocked, but he nodded nonetheless.

"I'll escort you to the infirmary and get you checked in. You just heal, all right?"

Allen smiled, not minding the company. They made their way out of the room, Link following as well. He could feel the painkillers really start to wear off as the burning grew into a constant stabbing, and Allen gasped as it came back all at once. He gripped the wall for support as the pain wracked his body, the feeling similar to he felt when he had the hole through his heart; except, the nurse had said no internal organs had been damaged, so why did it feel like he was dying all over again?

"Allen, what's wrong? What's happening?"

Komui sounded frantic, and Allen wished he could answer, but even with his desire to keep calm and assure everything was all right – he _wasn't_ sure because he swore he could taste death. Suddenly, someone lifted him off his feet, carrying him somewhere he couldn't see; he could barely feel someone carrying him at all.

"K-Kanda…?" He heard Komui ask through the pounding in his ears, and he was wondering where the exorcist had come from; hadn't he gone to his room for the night? The fleeting thought didn't last long before the pain became overwhelming, choking him with it's embrace. The unconscious state that was nearing a second nature didn't even warn him; instead, it overtook him into a sea of black and emptiness immediately, helping him to escape the suffocation.

Everything was lost to him, dead to the world as a figure appeared before him, showing that he was truly in a dream state.


	13. Chapter 13

Ah, this chapter is quite… well, it's mainly angst. Even I felt kind of saddened while writing this, and I know what's going on. I'm considering doing a one shot of what each person was saying to Allen – you'll know what I mean when you read the chapter. Let me know if you'd like to see it? Also, I tried to keep Kanda in character as best as I could. He's hard. As for the machines in the infirmary, I'm pretty sure they have machines like the ones mentioned in the story. This is also just the beginning of what's to come, so just keep that in mind, yes? xD Finally, I think that's it for this chapter, so delve into the angsty depths below, and leave a review when you resurface? Thanks to everyone who responded to the story! And your reviews really made my day. :3

* * *

13.

[clowns, crystals, and cold truths]

'_The real tragedy was just beginning.'_

_

* * *

_i.

Allen was a mess.

They could all see that – his thin body was lying covered, the white hospital sheet only partially covering his gaunt skin, reaching to just above where his belly button was. The visible parts of him weren't even visible; a thick, gauze-like wrap covered the intense wound on his chest and stomach, the crimson liquid soaking into the white bandage as it trailed up over his right shoulder. His arms were dead at his sides, his Innocence still tightly wrapped after being repaired only an hour prior. His breathing was light, unusual, and coming in dangerous gasps. The rise and fall of his chest was too slow, like time had come to halt as he lay in the bed without moving. His white hair fanned around him, Timcanpy still as it sat beside Allen's neck – which was bruised terribly. The young boy's face was contorted into one of silent peace, his eyes closed; the wound that was covered on the right side of his pale face seemed to blend in, his complexion matching the white with startlingly clarity. A machine was hooked up that beeped to show Allen's heart rate, and a tube like apparatus was attached to his mouth, leading into another machine. An I.V. bag was connected into his arm, and two small, odd plugs decorated the spot above the bandages, wires connecting them to yet another machine.

No one was sure what to do.

No one _could_ do anything.

Komui stood beside the boy who was in a fragile condition, silently praying that God would protect him once more. Lenalee and Lavi had been informed, and they had rushed from their position in the cafeteria to the emergency ward, the room filled with strange machines that were waiting to be put to use. The young girl was crying as she stood at the foot of the bed, tears staining her pretty face as she buried it in Lavi's shoulder. The bookman wasn't sure how to comfort her; he wasn't sure how to comfort himself. After seeing Allen so defenseless, he was worried beyond comprehension, clearly crossing the thin line of an observer for history. Link had followed Komui and Kanda as he carried the wounded boy, and the man who was supposed to be recording Walker's every move was feeling sorry for the child who was a victim of war. Even Reever and Johnny stood in the room, having just contacted Bak and informing Komui. When Reever had seen Allen, it reminded him of the fateful night Allen had been assumed dead – except now it was happening in front of him, the reality of the situation weighing heavily on every single occupant of the room.

No one could have predicted the sudden fall of Allen – they hadn't realized how severe the wounds truly were. When Komui had asked Kanda how he knew that Allen had fallen unconscious, the samurai had said he suspected something was wrong that Allen wasn't saying. When the chief had asked for more details, Kanda had simply responded that no one had actually seen Allen's wounds except for the nurse that had taken him in when they reached the village. The exorcist had felt the amount of blood coming from Allen, but he hadn't been able to estimate how badly wounded the cursed boy was. This had worried Komui even more, and as Allen was placed on the bed, Komui had stripped the blood stained bandages and uncovered something they weren't prepared for.

The wound that hadn't affected any internal organs was deep and menacing, parallel scratches flowing down to his hip diagonally. The biggest injury was shaped jaggedly, reaching from the edge of his shoulder to the area over his heart, the wound dangerously close to the heart keeping Allen alive. After Komui had peeled away the bandages, blood instantly began to spill out, staining Allen's skin once again as it flowed to the white sheets. Kanda had scoffed, shaking his head as he realized how the mistake of overlooking the severity of Allen's condition could become fatal. When Lavi and Lenalee had rushed in, followed by Reever and Johnny, Lavi had come to a surprising conclusion.

"What if the nurse was a Noah in disguise?"

It had made sense, they realized; the nurse had given Allen painkillers to ward off the intense amount of it he should have been going through. She must have given him something to keep him active, at least until they reached the order. Allen couldn't detect any akuma; therefore, the only other option was one of the Noah. Lenalee had begun crying then, grabbing onto Lavi for support as he tenderly held her like before. Johnny had tried extraordinarily hard to keep his own sobs in, but they had broken through, echoing throughout the deadly silence. The head nurse had rushed in, pushing everyone out of her way as she frantically tried to get Allen stable. When she did all she could, she bid them a solemn farewell, promising to return to check on his condition.

Thus they were in their current position, watching Allen as he fought to survive.

ii.

He was cold.

The upper part of his body was bare, the empty and dark room slowly dipping in temperature as it bit his skin, freezing the soft flesh and causing it to burn painfully. He could hear nor see anything, just a simple, blue-tinted puddle in front of him as the ground shattered into pieces. He knelt down, merging his hand with the liquid as the water splashed around him. He had no reflection; the water's ripples distorted anything he could have seen anyways. As he looked around, he realized the walls of the room weren't stable as they weaved in and out of his vision, like mist being highlighted by the sun as it moved through the wind. As he removed his hand from the water, he looked at it with a confused look, tilting his head as his hands moved with the walls. His entire body was becoming like fog, reducing to pieces as he sat alone and lost, not sure what to make of the situation.

He knew it was a dream, for a figure appeared seconds later with a white cowl and a silver mask.

_Crowned Clown…? But why? How…_

It wasn't particularly a figure, he realized, as the cowl spread out like it had done so many times before. The silver mask that was decorated with indents and beautiful patterns hid underneath the white hood, and if it hadn't been for the knowledge that it was his Innocence, he would have assumed it was an actual clown, randomly visiting him in one of his strange dreams. Instead, the cowl and mask was moving closer and closer, until he was face to mask with his Innocence. Another familiar figure appeared, except he was human.

_Mana._

It wasn't surprising to see his father in his dreams since it had happened often and with purpose. Of course, the actual purpose slipped his mind as he fought to figure out what it was that Mana – and Cross – were trying to get across to him. Mana didn't speak, instead taking a seat beside the young boy as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He removed his top hat, placing it casually beside him as he put a hand around Allen's still outstretched one, squeezing it tightly before releasing the soft skin.

"Your Innocence is quite interesting, you know. I don't think many exorcists can say that their piece of God's creation appear in their dreams."

Allen said nothing, his hand still outstretched and not responding, the same butterfly appearing as the colors trailed behind it, creating tendrils of shadow and light around his hand. He watched nervously, expecting any kind of feeling to appear – the aura, the pain, _anything._ When he continued to feel nothing, he looked at Mana, his eyes questioning.

"It will be explained eventually… However, I think it's trying to tell you to wake up. I'm sure your friends are worried."

"Wake… up?" He asked, the speech feeling foreign on his tongue. Mana nodded, placing each one of his legs into the water. Allen's eyes widened slightly, not sure what to do. He lifted himself off the ground, walking towards one of the walls as he placed his hand in front him, going through the wall like mist. His body was still fading, like he wasn't a whole person anymore –

"Mana… Is it the Fourteenth?"

"Hm?" Mana asked, looking over to his adopted son.

"My body… It' not real. Not right now. Is it…"

Mana shook his head, lowering his head and closing his eyes.

"My brother… My son."

Allen still didn't look over, the same monotone nothingness filling him with an empty shell. He was void of emotion, the nothingness kind of… welcoming, opposed to the darkness that seemed to be attracted to him.

"Mana… You said to keep walking. What do you say now?"

"I say," Mana said, removing his legs from the water and standing up, not a single drop of liquid evident on his black pants. "You should follow your own path, and keep walking on _that._"

Allen scoffed, turning away from the wall and pointing at Mana, an unfamiliar anger welling up inside his heart.

"My own path? What path do I have? I want to keep walking on the one I'm on, but how can I when I'm suspected of being a traitor? Your brother, he's a Noah! What am I supposed to do when I'm hosting the very people we're supposed to be fighting?"

His voice had grown louder, echoing in the silence and trailing throughout the room. The outburst had surprised Mana slightly, but it had taken Allen completely off guard as he stood there panting, his hand dropping to his side as he realized what had just happened. He expected Mana to be offended, but his father just smiled, walking towards him.

"You're fifteen. You're fighting a war between good and evil. You have the Fourteenth Noah dormant within you, and one day, he may succeed in taking over your body."

Allen wasn't enjoying where this conversation was turning; if Mana was trying to comfort him, he wasn't doing a good job, as Allen continued to fall deeper within himself at the truth.

"But you're also strong. You'll figure out what to do."

"But you…"

"I'll be proud of you no matter what. Remember when you were a boy? You were stubborn, yes, but you were also the little boy who just wanted a real family."

Past memories with Mana began surfacing, appearing in the room like a slideshow. He blinked, his gaze following the moving pictures with interest and sadness. The void that had filled him was leaving, real emotion taking its place; Allen felt a tear slip from his eye, tracing the scar on his face that the very man standing in front of him had given. It seemed so out of character; yet it seemed right. However, it didn't last, for as the pictures disappeared, Mana returned to the little hole of blue water, bending down and placing his top hat back on. Allen's Innocence hadn't moved, still and silent as it seemed to watch the exchange. Allen walked to the opposite side of the lake, the water inside the bottomless hole becoming less like liquid and more like crystals, the dark blue taking on a dark black shimmering with aqua.

"It's time to wake up, Allen."

He tilted his head, not sure how.

"It may feel like it's only been a short amount of time here, but chances are, it's been a lot longer elsewhere."

Allen sighed, massaging his temple as he tried to piece the place together.

"Where are we, Mana?"

"This is inside you, Allen. Your mind. This is the form it's taken for this dream."

"…Are you real? Or is it just my imagination?"

"I am what you make me, Allen. Take care, until we meet again."

And before Allen could stop him, Mana had stepped into the crystals, the odd pieces swallowing him and leaving Allen to his lonesome. He walked over to his Innocence, feeling the soft material; Crowned Clown responded as it wrapped Allen in a tight embrace, the silver mask covering his eyes.

_Wake up… How?_

Stepping into the crystals, Allen allowed himself to be grasped, holding his breath as he was pulled away.

iii.

The cursed boy was still asleep, barely stabilized as he lay in the infirmary two days later.

Lenalee, Lavi, Krory and Miranda were his constant visitors, one of them visiting at a time, sitting in the wooden chair beside his bed as they told him of their missions; wherever they may have been, or what they had encountered. Lenalee sometimes shed a few tears, wishing with all her might that the piece of her world would wake up and join the rest of them. Lavi would tell him of how Bookman was worried as well, despite his amazing ability to hide it with ease. Krory would tell him that he needed to wake up – he managed to survive everything else, and he needed to survive _this._ Miranda cried the most; she'd blame herself for not being able to erase time so she could erase his injuries, and Noise would be the one to pull her away after three hours each day. Komui, Reever, and Johnny would stop in whenever they got a chance to slip away from their work, paying their respects and leaving a prayer behind. Kanda visited rarely, and when he did, it was for a short amount of time, leaving parting words that no one heard; _you better wake up soon, moyashi, before the entire Order falls to pieces._ Link was silent, never speaking as he watched the exorcist become peaceful for once, finding it ironic that he found relaxation when his life was on the line.

Bak had visited as well, threatening Allen; if he didn't wake up, Bak would get Fou, and he'd really be in for a beating. No matter how lighthearted he tried to make it seem, Bak was insanely worried, not believing that Allen could die from something like this – Bak had witnessed Allen's recovery after Fou had brought him back, death seeming inevitable.

But by the end of the first week, some were beginning to give up hope that Allen would wake from the nightmare. They realized it was a losing battle when even the General's had come to see the world's hope dying in a hospital room. Klaud had seemed saddened after learning about Allen, and Tiedoll was a bit frantic. Sokalo acted as he usually did – overexcited and not caring. Everyone felt the effects of their fellow Clown Exorcist, even Chaoji, who still hadn't forgiven Allen.

Even so, life continued to go on in the Order, despite Allen's life being frozen.

When a week turned into two, and two turned into three, Komui ordered a meeting for all the exorcists, other then the General's who had gone on various assignments to help pick up the loss of an exorcist. Link was ordered to go as well, and they knew it wasn't going to be a good meeting when they saw Komui standing in his office, holding his beret in his hands, a sad tension over the room.

"We're not giving up hope… But you all must know that the chance of Allen's recovery is dropping every day he's not awake. His heartbeat is getting slower, and you can all tell by the color of his skin that he's deteriorating in health. He's being fed through a tube, since no one seemed to pick up on just how bad his lack of appetite was."

Kanda _tched _as Lavi lowered his head, silently wondering why Link hadn't reported anything. Lenalee was having trouble keeping in her tears, but regardless of her effort, salty drops still dripped down her cheek as her short hair covered her eyes.

"Right now, all we can do is pray he'll recover. And support him, anyway possible. The head nurse, nor I, knows if Allen can hear what we're saying, but it can't hurt to talk to him anyways as most of you have been doing. However, this can't stop you from completing your assignments. Because we've lost an exorcist, you may be given extra missions – "

"Don't say that!" Lenalee interrupted, tears freely flowing from her eyes. "Don't say we've lost an exorcist! We haven't! He's…"

She buckled under her weight, and Lavi caught her as he held her shaking form in his arms. Komui dropped his head, feeling defeated, but he couldn't do anything about it.

"Lenalee… I know it's hard. But right now, Allen is incapable of completing his duties. It's the hard truth."

"Brother…" Komui walked over, running his fingers through her hair.

"Don't worry. Once he wakes up and heals, he'll be an exorcist again." Komui smiled, attempting to put reassurance in his sister, and he hoped she hadn't caught the worry in his smile. As he stood up, he signalled a sign of dismissal, calling for Kanda to stay behind. Once it was just the two of them, Komui resumed his seat behind his desk, not bothering to put his trademark hat back on. He offered Kanda a seat on the sofa, waiting for the samurai to accept it. Sighing, Kanda sat back and crossed his legs and arms, looking at Komui with slight annoyance.

"Kanda, what do you know of Allen's lack of eating?"

"Tch, why are you asking me? Wouldn't one of the others – "

"No," Komui interrupted, not in the mood to listen to Kanda's excuses. He knew the exorcist knew something. "You were the only one who suspected Allen of being injured worse then he let on. You caught onto his strange behavior. I'm assuming you also caught onto his eating habits, whether you acknowledged it or not, correct?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Kanda nodded.

"Rabbit is observant, but he suppressed it, not letting on that he knew anything. Moyashi stopped eating once I found him in the piano room, and he… Well, you know the rest. After that, he skipped meals. Anyone could've noticed that. But no one wanted to admit that their so called 'savior' was falling. Now look where he is."

Komui sighed, leaning back in his chair as he removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose as the stress began building up.

"The Fourteenth…"

Kanda nodded.

"If you haven't noticed, a lot of the members of the Order labeled moyashi a traitor because of the damn Noah. Hell, even I did. However, everyone also lost sight of moyashi himself, and thus, we end up here."

Kanda tried to make his tone offhand, indicating the subject wasn't in his interest; but even with the lack of emotion in his voice, Komui could easily tell that the recent events had shaken up Kanda, if only a bit. Not wanting to bother Kanda anymore, Komui was about to let him know he could leave, but Kanda interrupted, surprising the head chief.

"If what's been happening to moyashi is because of the Fourteenth, you're going to need to do something if you want moyashi _to stay_ as moyashi. This may be a sign."

"Of what?"

"Hell if I know," Kanda said, standing up. He had said his piece to who needed to hear it, and he headed for the door, hand on the knob. Facing the door, he said,

"But you might want to figure it out."

And with that, he left, disappearing from the room and leaving Komui to deal with a new development that could potentially change everything.

iv.

_It's still so cold._

Allen groaned as he attempted to pull the sheets tighter around him, but when he realized he was still freezing, he knew he hadn't done anything. Trying again, he attempted to reach for the sheets, feeling around the bed; his hand met nothing, and his hand wasn't responding. There was a constant beeping in the background, and all of his upper body felt constricted and pained. As he reached for the sheets once more, he felt something warm on his hand, squeezing it lightly. He furrowed his brows in confusion, the warmth different then what he would have felt if he succeeded in grabbing the warm material that surrounded him. His head started pounding, and he groaned again, his throat feeling itchy and dry. Coughing would have brought a bit of relief, but as he tried to do even that task, he got no response, his body rebelling against his brain.

_Why can't I move?_

"Allen?"

He heard a voice join in the beeping, and he wanted to answer it, but his own voice wasn't leaving his mouth. Allen was growing frustrated, the weightlessness of being on the verge of sleep and reality beginning to drive him mad. As he mentally forced himself awake – he wasn't sure how he managed it – his eyes began to open, an extremely faint light entering his vision. An agonizingly slow amount of pain forced its way through his body, catching up on nearly a month's worth of unconsciousness. As he focused on the light, the pain began to subside, dulling into a constant ache that was tolerable. He opened his eyes a little wider, still not capable of moving his limbs as he began to see the room he was in. Something was around his mouth, and it was becoming uncomfortable as he attempted to remove it, but without the use of his hands, he gave up. As the remnants of sleep dispersed, Allen's vision became focused, and he was able to make out the images in front of him. The entire room that encased him was white, the dim light tinted with an extremely thin turquoise color. The room smelled of a clean, pine scent mixed in with a sickly sweet smell. As he looked to his right, he spotted a few machines, one with a constant green line repeating the same pattern over and over again, and another one that had a tube attached to it. He wondered where the tube was connected to at the end, before piecing together the uncomfortable feeling around his mouth and the tube. Something was compressing his head, while something else entirely was tickling his neck as it brushed across his skin over and over again, like a tail.

_Timcanpy?_

"Allen, can you hear me?"

He forced his voice out, sounding strained and completely different due to the tube.

"…Y-Yes."

A loud cry of joy travelled through his mind, and he blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the dim light. He recognized Komui, the older male standing over him with a look of absolute pure relief on his face. The light grew brighter, and he turned his head away, not prepared to face the full on luminescence. He heard a door open, and suddenly, a rush of footsteps entered the room, gathering around the bed he was laying in.

"He's awake! Don't crowd him, or I'll kick you all out! Give him some breathing space! _Move!"_

He heard the familiar voice, immediately identifying it as the head nurse. He turned his head back, his eyes readjusting to the new light – which, he realized too late, was pointless, for the nurse ordered the lights to be turned down and the brightness disappeared, his vision becoming slightly clearer. People surrounded him, but between the pounding, beeping, and aching, Allen could barely focus on his own body, let alone the others that were now occupying the room.

"Remove the tube from around his mouth! He's almost completely stable, the tube will constrict his breathing, and you should know that!"

Hands surrounded him, and his air supply was suddenly cut off as he gasped for breath, his breathing his own once again. What felt like an eternity only took a few minutes before he became controlled, his breathing slowing down to a normal rate. He still couldn't move his arms or anything, but he felt his body slowly become his own, his fingers twitching in response. He began to shiver, the cold racking through his body relentlessly.

"Someone get him another blanket!"

"I will."

Allen heard Reever leave, his footsteps quick and disappearing, before he felt something soft cover his body up to his shoulders, the cold desperately trying to invade his personal space. He wanted to thank Reever for the blanket, but he couldn't force his voice out a second time, his throat begging for water. The room's noise began to quiet down as they were waiting for a response from the cursed exorcist who had just woken up from a comatose state, and Allen attempted a smile, causing Lenalee to burst out into tears as the realization of Allen being awake finally registered in everyone's mind. As he looked around, he spotted Lavi standing with Lenalee, his hair mussed and his pajamas wrinkled. Bookman stood beside him, tired but awake as he looked relieved. Kanda stood against the wall as usual, his face contorted into one of slight relief and even tiredness. Johnny and Reever stood as the back, smiles evident on their faces. Bak and Komui were standing on either side of him, smiling as relief filled their minds. As everyone began to calm down, the nurse shooed away everyone except Bak and Komui, and the others bid farewell as Allen smiled and attempted a wave. Miranda, Krory, and the others were still in bed, having not been awake; Lenalee promised she'd notify them as soon as they woke up. When the door shut, Allen sighed quietly, his body aching to a whole new degree.

"How do you feel, Walker?" Bak asked, taking a seat beside Komui.

"…I've been… better." Was all he managed to choke out, which took effort in itself. Komui smiled, placing a hand on his forehead.

"You've been out for quite some time, Allen. But you should make a full recovery, now that you're awake. How about you get some more rest, and we'll be back in the morning to fill you in, all right?"

Allen nodded, sleep sounding welcoming as fatigue joined the pain. As he closed his eyes, he heard the nurse shoo the two Branch Heads out, leaving Allen alone with his thoughts. However, due to the confusion of finally waking up – and fuzzy details about what had happened while he was unconscious – any assaulting thoughts left him alone, letting him drift into a light, painless sleep.

But despite waking up, Allen had a feeling the real tragedy was just beginning.


	14. Chapter 14

So, this chapter is later then usual - it also would have been up an hour sooner, if it wasn't for FF flaking out on me and not working - and not exceptionally well done, due to the fact that I had writers block. I think it may have had something to do with the fact that I'm failing physics and I've been pretty stressed lately. Thankfully, it's gone. I hope this chapter is satisfactory; I tried really hard to keep the characters… well, in character. Also, the dreams are meant to be confusing, but feel free to guess on what they mean! I'd love to hear your answers. I think this story is also implying Lavi/Lenalee, which is kind of funny, because it just happened out of nowhere. Oh well, it's your choice on how you view the pairings. I'll try and have chapter fifteen out a lot sooner, but I've been feeling pretty crappy and it sucks. First time I've been sick at all in the last three years, if not more. Plus, school is stressful as hell. Anyways, I'm sure you'd much rather indulge into the next installment of Judgement, so here is chapter fourteen, which awaits your viewing! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and such, they really made my day better! Next chapter will be better, I promise.

Oh, and I hate Leverrier. 'Nough said.

* * *

14.

[kidnapped]

"_Anything I tell you, you already know."_

_

* * *

_i.

_The snow fell gently, mixed in with the small droplets of rain that plummeted to the ground below. The dark night sky was shaded over by black clouds, the moon invisible as it hid. The dead trees swayed in the wind, the surface turning into an icy rink as the freezing temperature solidified the wetness. The air was cold and biting, breaking through his exorcist uniform with ease as the wind coursed throughout his body; it numbed his senses, a light tingling filling the empty void that had been created by the cold air. No stars shone in the sky, the scenery cast in perpetual darkness and endless precipitation. He stood on the edge of a cliff, waiting for anything – something – to happen, but the only sound he could hear was his own rhythmic breathing and the wind whistling through his ears. A bit of fog was making its way close to the ground, the white becoming invisible as it soaked into the dirt and grass. He took a step closer, his feet hanging dangerously close to the edge as his body screamed for him to turn around, the fall to the bottom surely fatal. He didn't listen, intent on continuing to go forward despite the obvious obstacle that stood in his way. Falling didn't scare him; it intrigued him. _

_Even if going forward meant succumbing to death, he didn't mind. That was his goal. He had to follow it, didn't he?_

"_It's my decision."_

_His voice was carried away over the wind, dying before it reached anything or anyone, God his only witness to his testimony._

"_Isn't it?"_

_He took another step, still expecting something to happen that would stop him or delay him. Cries were becoming louder and louder, but he couldn't hear what they were saying; were they just the cries of the wind?_

"_If I go forward…"_

_Almost no support was on the edge now, his demise inevitable as the scenery twisted into one of his mind; he was on air, the familiar pool of dark crystals surrounding him. He didn't know if they had significant meaning, or if they were just there as a testament to something he wasn't caught up on. _

"_Then I'm not breaking any promises."_

_He fell backwards, his white hair surrounding his face as plummeted into the sharp, jagged pieces of mineral. He expected an onslaught of pain and opening wounds, but he felt nothing as he continued falling, his eyes closed as the crystals scratched his skin harmlessly. _

"_I'm doing what I was meant to do."_

_He broke air, but he was still falling, wondering where the end of the trip would take him. He slowed down, but he still met nothing solid; instead, he just continued to travel head first into nothing._

"_Even if it kills me."_

_Before he became conscious, words echoed throughout his mind._

"The worst has yet to come."

ii.

Gasping, Allen sat up, sweat dripping down his face as he tried to regain his surroundings. The feeling of falling hadn't left, but it had woken him up, startling him greatly. The room swirled around him as the darkness surrounded him, pain etched into every aspect of his body; his chest felt like someone had lit it on fire, and sharp tendrils flowed down to his stomach. His head pounded repeatedly, a migraine forming after only a few minutes of being conscious. Memories of what had happened the previous night replayed in his mind, and the realization of where he was struck him hard. There was a constant beeping in the background, and he could feel wires protruding around him. Something was making his hand tingle, and he realized he was hooked up to an I.V. and a heart monitor.

As he calmed down, he sighed, covering his eyes with his arm as the remnants from his dream faded.

_It seemed so real. Why?_

Lately, all of his dreams had felt real; the encounter with Mana left him a feeling of melancholy, his words holding a meaning he wasn't sure he was interpreting properly. The crystals seemed to be appearing more often, but that confused him just as much – if not more – then the dreams themselves. It seemed as if there was more questions then answers, and Allen was becoming more frustrated as the minutes went on.

"All right, he should be awake soon. Then we'll discuss what happened – I assure you, we will get to the bottom of this."

_Leverrier?_

Allen's eyes widened, a sick feeling erupting in his gut at the sound of the man's voice. It sparked a feeling of anger as well, the unfamiliar emotion simmering around him; he almost vomited, the ill and dark aura caressing him as it had done so many times before. He saw something flash before him, but it disappeared as quickly as it came; a rustling outside the door caused him to jerk in surprise and he quickly hid back under the blankets, biting back the pain it caused in his chest and the dizziness that assaulted his head. A golden golem hid with him, hiding under the pillow. He felt like laughing at Timcanpy at the odd behavior, but he held it in, concentrating on schooling his face and body. The door to the room opened, a sliver of light breaking through his closed eyes. He had squeezed them shut to the point where the cut on the side of his face stung, screaming for him to relax a little.

"However, if it is because of the Fourteenth, we have no choice – "

"Shut up, would you? He's asleep."

Allen stifled his gasp at Lavi's voice, the latter sounding annoyed as he shushed Leverrier in a hushed tone. More then two sets of footsteps bounced off of the ground, and Allen waited for more voices so he could pinpoint exactly who was in the room. He was surprised he was as alert as he was, the crust of sleep already diminished.

"That's no way to talk – "

"You talk really loudly, and he's asleep. You know, that thing people do every night – or worse, when they're _injured_?"

Allen heard a sigh as someone closed the door.

"What are you even doing in here? You and Ms. Lenalee should be preparing for your assignment, correct?"

"We wanted to see our _friend_ before we left."

The injured boy in the bed contemplated the tone in Lavi's voice, the exorcist emphasizing the word _friend._ Was Leverrier doing another investigation? As far as Allen knew, Link was still supposed to be constantly watching him – but Lenalee had said it was Leverrier who had called Link back the day of their assignment. Was he missing something?

_Not another puzzle piece…_

Without realizing it, his right hand curled into a fist, showing his frustration. Leverrier noticed this, for the man coughed before speaking loudly.

"Mr. Walker, it appears you are awake."

Allen sighed mentally, opening his eyes slowly to find four sets of eyes looking at him intently. Lenalee was standing slightly behind Lavi as they both held a suitcase; Lenalee looked worried and slightly nervous, but Lavi looked at ease, only a bit of tension showing on his face. Komui stood behind Leverrier, an annoyed look breaking through the calm façade he usually had around the man who traumatized his sister. Leverrier looked like he usually did – a sinister like smile plastered on his face, his eyes boring into Allen's as he refused to break the contact. Komui cleared his throat, attempting to get the attention of both Leverrier and Allen.

"Allen, I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?" Komui asked, brushing past Leverrier. Allen uncurled his fist – noticing that it was still tightly clenched, drops of blood dripping down his fingers – and sat up carefully, trying not to jostle himself too much. Lenalee made a move forward, attempting to help him, but Leverrier held out his arm, effectively blocking her path. However, this made both Lavi and Komui angry as Komui pushed Leverrier's arm down and Lavi pulled Lenalee backwards. Leverrier glared slightly, shaking his arm out of Komui's grip.

Allen thought the whole ordeal was completely out of the ordinary.

"Do not touch Lenalee," Komui said, venom dripping from his voice slightly. Sensing something off, Allen attempted to finish sitting up, but a sudden, sharp pain made itself known directing in Allen's wound, causing him to gasp as he lost his grip on the bed, falling backwards as he shut his eyes tightly once again. Lavi and Lenalee both shouted at the same time, the young girl ignoring Leverrier as she grabbed the cursed boy's hand.

"Allen, are you okay?"

He nodded as the pain began to subside, his breathing relatively calm despite what had just transpired. The ordeal had caught him off guard; he wasn't the only one, for Leverrier was giving him a look of pure mistrust and doubt, clearly showing that he still suspected Allen heavily of treachery. The darkness began to etch in his being again, and he tried his hardest to push it away, managing to clear his mind only a bit. Lavi stood beside Komui, the suitcase forgotten on the ground. Allen smiled meekly, the sharpness fading into a constant sting instead.

"I'm okay," he said, his words slightly forced. "Just got up to fast."

"I think it's time to discuss what happened," Leverrier interrupted, an annoyed tone in his voice. Lavi turned his head and glared, stepping out of the way as Leverrier pushed his way beside Allen.

"What happened, Mr. Walker?"

Allen shrugged, his eyes narrowing at the way the older man was looking at him.

"When we returned, I was overwhelmed. It happened suddenly and out of nowhere. That's all."

Leverrier nodded, rubbing his chin as he walked around Allen's bed. The young boy watched him carefully, assessing his moves – it seemed odd to him, but he couldn't help it; he was completely suspicious of what was happening.

"And what happened to cause you to get injured? You're a strong exorcist – why were you so easily taken down?"

Allen took on a face of shock, utterly taken aback by the question. Hadn't Kanda, Lavi, or Lenalee explained what happened? He looked at Lavi, who mouthed _'didn't believe us_' as he shrugged, the red head looking angry as he crossed his arms over his chest. Allen's face was stony as he averted his gaze back to Leverrier, the man stopping in his pacing to smile sickeningly at the injured exorcist.

"Well?"

"I was approached by a Noah while I was injured, and I was surrounded by level four akuma. Any exorcist would be overwhelmed."

Leverrier shook his head, placing his arms behind his back as he held an air of haughtiness around him.

"You've reached a critical point – enough to place you in the section of a General – yet you – "

"Leverrier," Lavi interrupted, sounding impatient and angry. "Why don't you try going against eleven level four akuma while having a gaping hole in your chest, then proceed to stall Tyki Mykk. Who, need I remind you, almost killed Allen the _first _time. And not to mention, Tyki's Tease has a way of _going through anything_, including skin."

Everyone was shocked at Lavi's outburst, Komui blinking in surprise as Lenalee smiled slightly. Leverrier looked indifferent, waving his hand as a sign of dismissal for everything Lavi had just said.

"Either way, Mr. Walker is an exorcist. This is what exorcists do. If they can't handle their job, or they can't handle what they witness, they become a Fallen One – "

"Who said anything about 'not being able to handle this,'" Allen interrupted, slightly offended. "I'm fine. I'm wounded, yes, but they'll heal. And then I'll be back on the field, fighting the demons."

After Leverrier had said 'Fallen One,' the three exorcists in the room became rigid, the memory of Suman Dark reminding each of them what a Fallen One truly was. Allen had witnessed Suman's fall, trying to save his fellow comrade; however, it turned badly in the end, for Suman had died and Allen had his first encounter with Tyki. A lot had changed since then, but he could still recall how the feeling of death was so prominent, and even Bak and Komui had to see if his heart was still in fighting – despite everything he had seen. For Leverrier to make a sudden judgement, Allen felt the anger rise up once again, his words sparking something Allen couldn't place.

"Indeed…" Leverrier said, drawing out the word. The four other occupants of the dimly lit room knew there was a hidden meaning behind his words, but no one commented, the room being filled with an awkward silence.

"Well," Leverrier said, heading towards the door. "That's all for today. _Today_."

Allen nodded, the door closing silently as they were left alone in the room. Komui sighed, sitting down in one of the chairs and looking slightly defeated.

"Sorry about that, Allen. We had no choice."

"It's fine. I understand." Allen smiled, scratching his head. Another question popped up in his mind, and he furrowed his brows, debating whether or not to ask one of the others. He wanted to know what exactly was wrong with him, but after the current meeting, he was slightly nervous as to what it could be. Was it that serious?

"Allen?" Lavi asked, waving a hand in front of the young boy's face. "Hey, Allen, what's up? You just spaced out there."

"Heh, sorry," Allen said. "But what exactly is wrong? I mean…"

Komui nodded, standing up. He understood what Allen meant, and he knew he would have had to explain anyways.

"Well, your chest is the most injured spot. You lost a lot of blood – hence the I.V. – and your neck is bruised from Tyki. The gash on your face should heal nicely, but the wound on your head may be more troublesome. There's one other thing…"

Lavi coughed, turning his gaze away from Allen, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

"When was the last time you had eaten, Allen? Before you collapsed. Can you remember?"

_It was bound to happen,_ a voice chimed in his head, reminding him of how food made his stomach turn. He wasn't sure how to explain it – for he didn't understand it himself – but he decided he'd try, despite the feeling of detest that lodged itself into Allen's brain. The honest truth was that the last time he had eaten a full meal, or anything that counted as food, was on the train before reaching the forest a second time. After that, anything edible was rejected by his stomach, which caused his energy to drain.

"Allen?"

He looked up at Komui, the worry in the chief's eyes making the cursed boy feel slightly guilty. He hadn't meant to worry anyone, but it seemed as if that had the opposite effect.

"It's pretty bad, bean sprout," Lavi started, looking back up. "When even Kanda notices your lack of appetite."

Allen eyes widened in surprise, the subject of Kanda unexpected. The older samurai had been the one to get him to the hospital in the village, and he remembered someone carrying him – although roughly – to the emergency room; even though he had blacked out before he had reached any room at all.

"Well… I remember eating on the train…"

Lenalee gasped, covering her mouth. She – or any of them – hadn't realized how bad Allen's neglect of food was.

"Allen," Komui said, gripping the edge of the bed tightly. "That was almost two months ago. Thankfully, we had you hooked up to another I.V. where you were being tube fed, but still – why haven't you been eating?"

Allen opened his mouth to respond, but the door suddenly burst open, an angry exorcist looking annoyed storming in. Allen didn't close his mouth, gaping at the heavily breathing Kanda at the door. Lavi laughed slightly, feeling a bit nervous at the murderous glare on the samurai's face.

"K-Kanda… What's got you so angry?"

"That stupid fucking bastard, that's who. Komui, for God's sake, _do_ something about him!"

Komui said nothing, blinking repeatedly as a dumbfounded expression covered his face. Lenalee backed up slightly, not sure what to do.

Allen had the urge to laugh.

"You mean Leverrier?" Allen asked, a smile trying to grace his lips.

"_Yes,_ moyashi, I mean that fucking idiot."

"Kanda!" Komui said, coming out of his stupor. At this point he looked completely lost, having not seen Kanda that angry in a long time. Few things could piss him off to such an extent – Allen sometimes being one of them – and the entire situation was just… weird. Allen was still holding the sudden urge to laugh, not sure why he found it amusing. Something about Kanda's face had set him off, and he knew Kanda realized that, for he was now glaring at the white haired boy with a murderous glare that was ten times worse then the one he had been directing at nothing earlier.

"You think this is _funny,_ moyashi? You don't have a fucking psychotic man asking fifty questions about your general, do you?"

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the mention of Cross to spark something in Allen, but the younger boy just shrugged, his smile only diminishing a bit.

"Why no, Bakanda, I do not. Why does Leverrier want to know about General Tiedoll?"

Kanda's glare toned down a bit, having realized at what exactly he asked. He held no sympathy or remorse – on his face, anyways – but he wasn't keen on having everyone tell him how insensitive that comment was. He would have replied that moyashi was a lot stronger then they gave him credit for; then he'd deny having said it at all.

"The hell if I know. He followed me, then started asking where Tiedoll was, what he was doing, where he could find him, and why I wasn't out on an assignment. That man is fucking – "

"Kanda," Komui interrupted, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He swore he had heard more swearing from the samurai in the last three minutes then he had heard from anyone in the past three months. "Calm down. What did you say to him?"

Kanda shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall.

"I told him I didn't know, then I tried to leave. He then proceeded to step in front of me and order me to tell him where Tiedoll was. I swear to God, that guy is a lunatic. If he wanted to find Tiedoll, why didn't he just ask the higher ups? Or _Noise,_ for crying out loud. I don't keep fucking – "

"Language."

"Tabs on Tiedoll."

Allen's smile dropped from his face, the sick feeling returning to his gut. He couldn't call it a premonition, but something felt completely wrong, and it made him worry beyond comprehension. The others caught this, for Kanda straightened up a bit, glaring at the injured boy.

"What is it, moyashi?"

Allen quickly shook his head, not sure whether to voice his sudden worry or not.

"Just… Tiedoll disappearing?"

"He hasn't disappeared," Kanda said. "He should be out on a mission, or something."

Komui shook his head, an odd expression on his face.

"None of them are out on assignments at the moment."

Those words seemed to confirm Allen's fear, and Lenalee grabbed onto Lavi's arm, fretting the possible oncoming situation. Kanda seemed impassive, his rigid stance the only give away to the worry he barely felt. What were the chances of Tiedoll actually being missing?

"Komui!"

Allen watched as Reever came running, Johnny following behind. They were both out of breath, and Johnny's glasses were falling off of his face. The nurse had come in behind them, yelling something around the lines of, _you'll upset the patient!_ Allen didn't pay attention, more worried about why Reever was in such a hurry in the first place. They looked pale and stunned, but before they could get a word out, Leverrier came up behind them, glaring at Kanda before speaking.

"It seems as if Krory has been kidnapped. Tiedoll informed us."

Allen gasped, clinging onto his blanket tightly as the little blood in his face drained. Lavi stepped forward, the only thing holding him back being Lenalee. His face was contorted into one of anger, the dire situation catching up to all of them; Reever or Leverrier didn't have to say who had done it – they all knew it was the Noah, not surprised at who it was.

"Which one?" Kanda asked, glaring at the older man. Leverrier didn't look over, seeming to speak to Allen as he held a look of contempt towards the younger boy.

"I do believe it was Tyki. He left a message for Mr. Walker as well."

Allen glared, daring Leverrier to blame it on the Fourteenth. The anger continued to boil inside him, dying to be released at someone.

"The message was: If you'd like to see your friend again, you'll comply with further instructions. Wait for them."

_What's going on?_

Lenalee was silently crying, burying her face in Lavi's shoulder as he shakily held the girl. It seemed as if any sort of break was out of the question for Allen – he wasn't going to just sit back and let Krory's fate be determined by the very Noah who had put Allen in the injured position in the first place.

"I can see it on your face, Allen," Komui said, a sudden desperation in his voice. "This isn't your fault, and you're _not_ in _any_ condition to be fighting, you _know_ that!"

Allen looked down, playing with the blanket absentmindedly as it folded in his hands.

"Don't try and stop him, Komui," Kanda said, looking out the door. Leverrier said nothing as the exchange passed between the three Order members, the tension thick and heavy. Allen still didn't look up, his white hair falling into his eyes as he tried to calm his racing mind.

_How could he have been kidnapped? Krory would have been strong enough to hold Tyki off. Unless there was more then one Noah, in which case, he might have been taken down. Why did Tyki leave me a message? What instructions? Why is this happening?_

Allen clenched his fists, trying with all his might to keep the rising anger in his chest to a minimum. The immense pain he had been feeling the entire time was becoming duller and duller, a new sensation replacing the agony. He knew Komui – or any of them, really – would let him fight while still injured, but he had to do something. Sighing, he patted the blankets, decreasing the wrinkles that had formed. He lifted his head slowly, still trying to decide what to say next. Kanda beat him to it, however, glancing at Allen with a blank expression etched on his face, the strands of his hair _not_ in a ponytail rolling over his shoulders.

"Moyashi, the least you can do is wait. There's no point in attacking if we don't know where to find them."

Lenalee sniffed as she averted her gaze away from everyone, staring at the floor similar to how Lavi had done earlier.

"He's right. We can't do anything… Not yet."

Allen nodded, still not saying anything. He was becoming tired, his eyes begging for more rest as the events began taking their toll. The fiery sensation was dimming, the pain beginning to come back in waves. His chest had a dull ache, and the migraine he had ignored was pounding with full force. The nurse noticed this, for she stormed in the room, impatience written on her face.

"All right, that's enough for now. All of you, out! Discuss this somewhere else – "

"No," Allen said, shaking his head, regretting it when the pounding increased. "If you receive any other messages or anything, please tell me."

Lavi nodded, not caring whether or not Komui disagreed. Allen smiled, grateful that the others didn't seem to mind, and even Komui sighed before nodding, promising to fill him in on any other information. The others left the room, Kanda remaining at the door once the occupants left. Lavi staggered slightly, glancing behind him.

"You comin', Yu?"

Kanda nodded, signaling he'd follow in a few minutes. Shrugging, Lavi left, shutting the door as Kanda took a few steps in. There was an impenetrable silence before either spoke, neither used to the idea of having an extraordinarily serious conversation. Allen coughed before Kanda finally said something, his voice low, slightly betraying the calm façade he was sporting.

"Moyashi… You knew something was wrong, didn't you?"

Allen nodded, not sure where the conversation was going.

"Hn. You do realize Leverrier is going to be on your ass even more now, right? Watch yourself, moyashi."

"Why are you telling me this?" Allen asked, his tone inquisitive. Kanda wasn't exactly the 'helpful' type, and his day just seemed to be getting weirder and weirder. Kanda tch'd before replying, turning to leave.

"Just advice. If you want any part of this assignment, you're going to have to work around Leverrier."

Kanda walked towards the door, his hand pausing at the knob before glancing behind him. His tone held nothing, emotionless as a doll as he spoke to the injured boy on the bed.

"Try not to get yourself killed. At this rate, the Earl may just succeed in his goal. Remember that."

The white haired boy watched as Kanda left, lightly shutting the door behind him. His injuries were screaming, but he paid no attention, Kanda's words leaving with a feeling of utter confusion, the heavy situation finally weighing on him. His mind was pounding unbearably, his chest crying for relief. He fell backwards, covering his eyes as he let sleep overcome him and take him six feet under.

iii.

"_What are you looking for?"_

_He turned around, barely interested as Mana stood behind him, his eyes closed and his head tilted as he waited for an answer. _

"_I don't know."_

_Mana nodded, his expression calm as he smiled. He patted the spot next to him, the grass swaying heavily from the wind. The sun was shining, and Allen had grown immune to the constant changes in his dreams. Nothing made sense anymore, and he decided he'd wait everything out until he could place the pieces together. He took up the seat, the grass soft. It wasn't extremely hot, despite the fact that he was wearing black pants and a white dress shirt, his red tie undone as it hung loose around his neck. His Innocence was numb, almost no feeling in the weapon. _

"_Hm, well, you should figure it out, yes?"_

_Allen shrugged, falling backwards on the grass as he watched the white clouds float by. The change in seasons had stopped mattering, Allen taking it all in stride._

"_Well, what is it I'm looking for then?" Allen asked, picking pieces of the grass up and flinging them forward, all in one motion with his right hand. Mana chuckled, placing his top hat on Allen's face, the latter jerking in surprise._

"_What was that for?" Allen wondered as his voice became muffled by the material. He removed the hat, throwing it at Mana while smiling. _

"_You need to figure it out."_

_Allen shrugged, closing his eyes as the sun beamed up ahead. _

"_Allen?"_

"_Yes?" _

"_I can't help you on this; but I can tell you something."_

_Allen opened his eyes, sitting back up to glance at his deceased father. Mana looked tired and worn out, and if it wasn't for the fact that Allen knew it was just a figment of his imagination, he might have believed Mana was real. _

"_Why can't you help?" Allen asked, already knowing the answer._

"_Because anything I tell you, you really already know. Whether it's obvious or not, you know it somewhere in the depths of your mind. Example – you already knew that, correct?"_

_Allen nodded. A few seconds of silence passed before Mana started laughing, Allen joining in. _

_For the first time in a while, Allen felt at peace; even though he knew it was temporary. _


	15. Chapter 15

I don't think it was ever said what happened the first time Carte Garde was used and why it was forbidden (though it's obvious) so I decided to take a creative turn on it. And voila! When – if – I do a pre-story, they'll be a mention of the scene later on in this chapter. Also, Kanda and/or Allen may seem a bit out of character, but there is a reason for any oddities. It'll be explained later. If you enjoy that pairing, then take what you will.

Anyways, here's chapter fifteen. My scanner is finally hooked up, so I'll have some links to the drawings for this story on my profile in a few days. Also, what do you all think of a masquerade ball? I won't say what it's for, but it could potentially lead to a major plot jump in this story. Your answers are greatly appreciated! :3 I think that's all for this chapter, so enjoy the next chapter to Judgement!

Thanks to all who reviewed and the like, and drop a few words on your way out?

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15.

[carte garde, a master's will, and desperation for freedom]

"_Kanda, have you ever broken a promise?"_

_

* * *

_i.

His mind was unusually clear.

The white haired exorcist was lying still and calm, his breathing even as his chest rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern, the quiet beeping long forgotten and the wires easily ignored. His eyes were open just barely, able to catch the sleek, green light that appeared in the corner of his eye from the machine beside him. The ache that had made his chest sting with uncomfortable pain had dulled into something less noticeable, creating the light lull in his head. The upper part of his body wasn't covered by the dark blanket, cool air gracing his visible skin, the room quiet and dead. Allen wasn't paying much attention, reality long forgotten in his somewhat coherent state. The young boy was more focused on what they were going to do about Krory; the vampire like exorcist had been kidnapped, and although Allen was told by Tyki to wait for instructions, it was hard for him to relax and be patient. There was no telling what the Noah would do to Krory, and leaving the exorcist to deal with the family on his own didn't sit well with Allen. However, he had no choice, for the others who knew about the missing Krory would not let Allen physically participate in the assignment – they probably wouldn't let him out of bed, either.

Allen sighed.

He thought it was weird that his injuries weren't in as much pain as they should have been; the large gash on the side of his face that the Tease had created was painless, nothing assaulting Allen in that general area. His head was still tightly bandaged, but all he could feel was a slight stinging emanating from the injured spot. His chest should have been on fire, screaming in pain from the gaping hole that was covered, spreading out to just above his hip. But regardless of the wounds, the dull ache was just there, and he had witnessed no more sudden spasms of pain. The cursed boy was even able to roll over, and despite jostling his wounds, he could barely tell they were there as he moved around. He had lost track of time after he had woken up a few hours prior, though he figured it was about three in the morning. That thought made Allen cringe, morning far away. His stomach had begun to growl, and Allen felt it ironic that it was in his most injured state that he'd actually crave food – for the first time in almost two months.

_I still feel a bit sick, though… And the aura seems to be coming back._

Closing his eyes, Allen breathed in, desperate to fall asleep, yet knowing that unconscious bliss was unattainable at that moment. After his dream with Mana, Allen had woken up, delirious and almost believing he was a child again under the care of the travelling clown. Once reality had settled in, his dream had faded away, leaving him with the familiar sensation of confusion. It was nothing new to him, but he was still not used to it, the missing puzzle pieces seeming to drift farther and farther away.

_Step. Step. Step._

Allen opened his eyes, his heart speeding up a bit. He could hear someone coming down the hallway, but if his assumption of time was correct, he couldn't fathom who it could be.

_Step. Step. Stop._

Allen clenched his fist, expecting someone to come in and scare him – or try, anyways. Timcanpy seemed to sense his distress, curling tighter into the white hair that was fanned onto the pillow, Allen closing his eyes tightly when the doorknob turned. He relaxed his body to the best of his ability, any previous thoughts forgotten as he concentrated on who was else was in the room.

"I know you're awake, moyashi."

Allen quickly opened his eyes as he sat up, pointing at the samurai who was leaning against the doorframe. Allen spluttered incoherently, the unexpected exorcist just waiting patiently for Allen to calm down.

"What are you doing here? It's three in the morning! I think…"

Kanda rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearly not enjoying the visit anymore then Allen was. He was looking at the fellow exorcist through half closed eyes, and Allen realized Kanda looked paler then usual, his eyes hiding something he couldn't place.

"Tch, I had a feeling you were awake. You should be sleeping, idiot – "

"What do you know?"

Kanda was silent, assessing the boy in front of him. Allen knew the older male was hiding something, for Kanda was rigid yet tired, proving that something was bothering him – which was rare, Allen knew, for Kanda rarely showed any emotion other then anger, impatience, and annoyance. Allen didn't say anything either, silently contemplating whether or not Kanda would tell him anything of importance. If it was about the Krory situation, he wanted to know – and if Kanda knew something, chances were Lavi did as well, and the red headed exorcist would definitely inform Allen later.

"Moyashi, are you going to listen or not?"

Allen nodded, partly to shake his head of the swirl of thoughts he was heading into. Kanda glared at him for a few more seconds before walking in and closing the door, taking a seat on the chair farthest away from Allen's bed. The samurai was clad in a barely buttoned white dress shirt, his black training pants alerting Allen to what the exorcist had been doing beforehand; training in his meditation room.

_At three in the morning? What's up with this guy?_

Kanda coughed, crossing his legs as he watched Allen carefully. Allen crossed his own legs, the two limbs underneath the black blanket. White bandages were in place of an actual shirt, and his crimson blood had soaked through after only a few hours. Timcanpy was flying around Allen's head, slightly upset at losing it's resting spot. Kanda's dark hair was in its usual ponytail, but Allen noted it looked a bit messy, probably due to the harsh sparring he usually conducted.

"We haven't received much information," Kanda said, not looking at Allen. The situation was awkward enough without eye contact. "But Tiedoll has been out looking for him; apparently Chaoji was with Krory, and they've both been kidnapped. The fucking idiot Leverrier left that out."

Allen didn't say anything, not sure what to make of the situation. How were two exorcists kidnapped?

"We figured that there was more then one Noah attacking them."

"Road?"

Kanda nodded, still not looking at Allen. The younger boy just stared down at his hands, his Innocence feeling numb like it had in his dream. He flexed his fingers, trying to get any sense of feeling, but he received none – his whole body was void of feeling.

"What now?" Allen asked, his voice emotionless. Kanda looked a bit off guard, not expecting the sudden melancholy tone the boy produced. He still didn't look at Allen, and the room acquired a tension neither of them could break. Despite what had happened since their first meeting, the two exorcists still didn't get along very well, and neither was comfortable at the moment. Kanda wasn't sure what to say, no plan set in place until they got more information.

"Well…" Kanda started, uncrossing his arms and leaning his head on his folded hand, his arm resting on the side of the chair.

"You don't know, do you? We have no idea where the Noah are, let alone where they could have taken Krory and Chaoji. But how can we just sit around and wait? They're exorcists! They'll be killed without hesitation – "

"They'll fight back. For all we know, moyashi, they could have escaped. We don't know – "

"But what are we going to do about it?"

The banter was getting them nowhere.

"Moyashi, you can't do anything that requires getting out of bed. You don't realize how badly injured you are, do you?"

Kanda looked slightly angry, turning to glare at the cursed exorcist. Allen felt the blood drain from his face, the conversation taking an unexpected turn. At the mention of his wounds, he placed his hand on his stomach as a reflex, looking down towards the floor to avoid looking at Kanda.

"You lost a lot of blood, moyashi. You were in a fucking coma for a month – "

"My name is Allen."

He was beginning to lose his control again, the darkness seeping through his closed mind. The memory of a similar account with Kanda ran through his head, begging him to keep himself in line. Black spots danced in front of his eyes, and his fists tightened as his body began to shake. He wasn't even sure what had triggered the sudden occurrence – and Kanda couldn't figure it out either.

"Calm down," was all he said, standing up as he stood in front of Allen. The younger boy said nothing, his breathing coming in short gasps. What happened next startled him out of whatever was happening.

Kanda slapped him.

Allen blinked, gingerly touching the pulsing spot on his cheek. He thought his first reaction would be to retaliate, but a serene feeling overtook him as the darkness began to slink back into the shadows, leaving him alone with his heavily altered sense. Kanda just shook his head, attempting to leave, but Allen grabbed his wrist tightly to keep him behind.

"Don't… Don't worry them. I'm fine."

Kanda paused for a few moments, the room silent once again. The grip on his wrist was tight, and Allen's eyes were covered by his white bangs.

"Tch."

"Kanda, _please._"

Allen's voice was weak, and Kanda didn't like it – it reminded him of someone who was broken, which Allen _wasn't. _

"…Whatever. But think about this; what would be different if you hadn't brought Mana back? You aren't keeping your promise, are you?"

Allen let go, dropping his hand to his side as it wrinkled some of the blanket. He watched as Kanda left, shutting the door behind him.

ii.

Kanda's words had rung in his head the rest of the night – morning – and he couldn't come to a conclusion as to what Kanda was implying, the question haunting him. It didn't make sense, he figured, for it was _Kanda, _the exorcist who rarely helped and almost never had a deep piece of word to say to the younger boy. But when Kanda had asked him about Mana, something clicked.

He just wasn't sure what.

He had pondered the question as well, trying to come up with an answer. If things had been different, he probably wouldn't have become an exorcist; the thought alone made him shiver, for he couldn't imagine anything else then what he'd been through. After an hour of endless thinking, he finally gave up, attempting to get some sleep once again. However, his stomach had rumbled in protest, and he cursed his appetite for coming at the worst time possible. His only companion had been Timcanpy, but the golem couldn't figure out what to do, eventually settling with showing Allen the message from Cross at Allen's request.

"_Hey, Allen... Come to think of it, I never asked you this before, but... Do you like Tim? I asked you to keep hold of him for me but...To be honest, I was always planning on giving him to you. I've told Tim he can do as he likes from now on. You may not want to listen to me, knowing that I'm carrying on the 14's will. But in case you're thinking you're being made to walk a path me and the 14th chose for you... I just wanted to tell you you're wrong. A path is something you create as you walk it. The ground you've trodden hardens, and that's what forms your path. You're the only one that can create your own path. So stop wearing that mask of 'Mana'. Walk on your own. If you haven't given up yet, that is_."

"Baka Cross, you just had to go missing…"

The words still made Allen angry since, even though Tim technically belonged to him now, the message still sounded like a last request, something Allen had never thought Cross would do. It seemed like the time in the Ark wasn't long ago, the battles with the multiple Noah still fresh in his memory. He could still recall his first time in the Order, and how he had promised out loud that he'd continue to go forward. But even Cross had said to stop wearing the 'mask of Mana,' yet Allen couldn't place what had created that mask. Was it because he was following a path laid out by Mana? Or was he following his own path, based off of Mana?

He didn't know anymore.

iii.

"Tim, did Master ever use Carte Garde on anyone?"

Tim nodded, flying around the room as a sign of wanting to leave with Allen; however, the boy was confined to the bed until his wounds healed up to certain extent. Allen had to admit he was slightly bored, itching to go to the cafeteria, or even the piano room inside the ark. Komui had stopped by earlier that morning, explaining to Allen that since he could potentially stomach food, someone would bring up a small portion of food – well, small for Allen – to test out the theory. Allen had smiled his thanks, slightly hoping that Komui would stay for a bit before setting off, but the chief had a meeting to attend to with Bak, and Allen had bid a solemn farewell. Lavi and Lenalee had already departed for their mission the night before, and Miranda and Noise were still out on a mission from a few nights prior. Kanda was the only exorcist around, and Allen had decided against conversing with the stoic man for a while.

And so Allen was left to his own devices, stuck in bed with his injuries producing a venomous ache for the first time in more then twenty-four hours.

"Let me guess, he got caught by the Order?"

Tim nodded again, landing in front of the sitting exorcist. Allen smiled as he held Tim in his human hand, his Innocence still slightly numb for a reason unknown.

"Hm. Was that when they forbid using it?"

Tim opened its mouth, about to show Allen a video. Allen blinked a few times before the image cleared up, showing a younger Cross – not by much – with the familiar half mask and the old exorcist uniform fit for a General.

"_Hm, let's try this out, shall we?"_

Allen watched as Cross smiled, Grave of Maria behind him. They were in a dimly lit area – what looked to be an alley – and Allen found himself in a bit of a shock, not expecting what came next. A robber ran out into the alley, a large bag of money in his hand as he tried to run away from a few cops following him. Cross stepped out from the shadows, snapping his fingers as the man suddenly dropped the bag, turning around and pointing to the cops. Cross' eyes widened, a slick smile gracing his face. Allen shrank back slightly, the smile reminding him of too many memories to count.

_Knock. Knock._

Allen grabbed Tim, effectively shutting the video off. He'd remind himself to watch it later, as the knocking stopped and the door was flung open non-too-lightly, introducing Kanda once again.

"Food, moyashi."

Kanda placed the tray on Allen's head, who quickly grabbed it to keep it from falling into his lap.

"So you're the food deliverer."

Kanda crossed his arms, looking away. The older male was slightly babying his left arm, and Allen leaned back against his pillow, rested his head on the backboard.

"Tch, everyone else was busy, so Komui forced me too."

"Uh huh. And why aren't you on an assignment?"

Kanda was silent, and Allen smirked.

"Now, come on, shall we pass the conversation ball around again?"

Kanda glared, walking over to bump Allen roughly on the head.

"Shut up, baka moyashi!"

Allen rubbed the tender spot gently, a new ache filling his head as a lump began to form. Allen glared, tempted to flick some of the food on the tray at Kanda, but decided against it.

"…I was injured on my last assignment, and Komui won't let me go until it's completely healed."

Allen lowered his hands, his eyes drifting to the arm that Kanda was still holding slightly. Under the white shirt, he could see a shadow of a burn, the skin looking blistered from what he _could_ see. The injury wasn't what surprised him most – it was the fact that it hadn't healed.

"When did you get it?"

"…A few weeks ago, while you were still dead to the world, moyashi."

"Allen, Bakanda," he started, rubbing his chin as if in thought. "And how come it – "

"Don't ask, it doesn't matter."

Allen looked away, slightly embarrassed at prodding – it really wasn't any of his business, but he was curious.

"Don't look so down," Kanda interrupted, pulling up one of the chairs with a loud scrape. He sat down, his face still a mask. "The look doesn't suit you, moyashi."

Allen glanced up, a look of confusion replacing the embarrassment. Kanda was continuing to surprise him, but instead of enjoying the slight camaraderie, it alerted him to something else – something Kanda wasn't saying to anyone, except maybe Komui.

"And eat something, would you? Then I can leave."

Allen glared, picking up the fork from the tray that rested comfortably on his crossed legs that were covered. Only a bit of red was visible through the white that covered his chest and stomach, his bandages having been changed two hours ago. A scrambled egg, two pieces of toast, a large chocolate chip muffin, and a pile of diced potato cubes filled the plate, a glass of milk set off to the side that had miraculously stayed in the glass. He placed some of the egg into his mouth, his stomach gratefully accepting the edible item rather then detesting it. When he was sure he wasn't going to vomit, he began eating rapidly, the taste of food a welcome surprise from the length he had gone without eating. Kanda just shook his head, not really shocked at how fast Allen could devour food.

"Slow down, preferably before you choke."

Allen made a face, causing Kanda to just stare, unresponsive.

"…No comment, moyashi. No comment."

Allen laughed, and the rest of his meal was in silence. He could tell Kanda wanted to leave, and an idea occurred to him once he finished the last of the visible food on his place.

"Hey, Bakanda," he started, wiping his mouth. "What are you doing after you leave?"

"Does it matter?" Kanda asked, standing up and taking the empty tray. "I'll be letting Komui know you can eat again, and then I'm going to the training room. Don't even think about it, you're not coming whether you're injured or _not._"

Allen huffed, pushing the blanket away as he attempted to stand up, Timcanpy biting his hair as if to say, _get back into bed!_ Allen ignored it, standing face to face with Kanda.

"Don't make me stay in here. Can't you find a way to let me get out? Even for a bit?"

"You're – "

"Yes, I know I am injured. But I am capable of moving around with little pain, correct?" Allen gestured his hands around his body, attempting to prove that he wasn't in a lot of agony – the pain that he had felt earlier had eased slightly, allowing him movement. Kanda glared, but he made no move to protest or agree, his face impassive. They stood still for a few moments, silence filling the room – which Kanda broke.

"You're covered in wires."

Allen shrugged.

"I can take them out. They aren't doing anything except monitoring my heart rate, and the I.V. can be removed since I can stomach real food now."

Kanda looked away, slightly annoyed. He knew Komui would kill him – and Allen – if the younger boy left the room, but Kanda held a _slight_ tidbit of remorse for Allen.

Slight.

"No. Are you trying to get everyone fucking worried? They'll have my head if I let you out."

Allen sighed, defeat gracing his face – the perfect _look._

"No! Don't even try, moyashi, that look isn't going to… work…"

Allen nodded slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed. He felt silly, but he also felt the need to get out of the hospital room – if only for a bit. His eyes were curtained by his bangs, and he could only imagine how he looked to the samurai standing in front of him. He rubbed his nose – partly to rid himself of the itch and partly to add to the sad look – and Kanda eased backwards, not sure what to do.

"Moyashi – "

"Oh for crying out loud, please let me come out! I'm sure Komui won't mind if I'm under supervision," Allen interrupted, desperation rearing its ugly head. Kanda glared for a few more minutes, the tension heavy, before he finally sighed, heading out of the room.

"Make no mistake, moyashi. If you get caught, you're not dragging me down with you. And if you annoy me at all, you're coming back. Got it?"

Allen nodded, following Kanda out of the room – thankfully, the nurse wasn't around and they managed to make it to the door of Komui's office without being spotted by anyone. Allen spotted few Finders as they walked down the corridors, and it confused him slightly, the lack of members suspicious. He waited patiently outside of the door, overhearing Kanda and Komui speaking.

"How did it go?"

"Fine. He can handle food; few more weeks and he should be back to his disgusting overeating."

"Kanda," Komui said, laughing slightly. "You know he's a parasitic."

"Yes, whatever. Can I go now?"

Allen heard nothing from Komui, and he assumed that the Chief had nodded, for Kanda came storming out of the room, shutting the door tightly. He shook his head, signaling Allen to say nothing as they made their way to the training room.

_I thought Komui had a meeting? _

Timcanpy was still biting Allen's hair, and the latter was beginning to get frustrated, pulling the golden golem away from his head. When they reached the large room, Allen sighed, holding Tim in his hand as he glared at the communication device.

"Tim, must you eat my hair?" he asked, sitting down on one of the mats. Kanda sat down as well, immediately entering a serene peace as his eyes closed. Allen shrugged, placing Tim on the ground. He didn't want to annoy Kanda, but it felt like the perfect opportunity to ask the elder samurai about his question from the previous night. Clearing his throat, he looked straight ahead, his voice betraying the calm façade he had. Between Krory and Chaoji being kidnapped, and the fact that he had snuck out of the hospital room, he was anxious, but he schooled his expression.

"Kanda, have you ever broken a promise?"


	16. Chapter 16

It was only a matter of time until Allen broke a mirror. Really…

Ah, chapter sixteen! Sorry for the delay, again, but writers block assumed its position on me once again and came back with a vengeance. Thankfully, it's gone, and I was able to finish this chapter. I know where I want to go with this story, but getting there is a lot harder – the next few chapters I have planned, and I'm excited to write them! Oh, not to mention that TRON IS COMING OUT AND I'M SEEING IT ON THE PREMIERE NIGHT.

Well, then, -glances to Tron poster in room-, here's chapter sixteen, and I hope it's to your standards. It was difficult to write, but it's done! I tried my damndest to keep Kanda in character. Anyways, enjoy this chapter, and I'll have seventeen up as soon as possible. Hopefully it won't be that long, and writers block has left me. For now.

I also have lots of inspiration from V14 of DGM that I purchased from Chapters, The Song of the Ark. :3 (As to why there is a naked Cross in the back, I can not conclude.)

Thanks to everyone who responded, and please drop a review on your way out? I absolutely adore them.

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16.

[his world will end by his hands, pt 1]

'_Destroyer of Time… Maybe Destroyer of Himself would be a more fitting term, no?'_

_

* * *

_i.

"…What?"

The room grew unusually quiet, the deafening lack of noise echoing throughout Allen's ears. However, he refused to take back the question, curious as to what the older samurai would have to say – after all, hadn't it been Kanda who asked him a similar question the previous night?

"Have you ever broken a promise?"

Allen looked out the corner of his eye, the stoic expression on Kanda's pale face giving away to his discomfort at the question. He held a bit of regret for asking something that was probably extremely personal to the antisocial exorcist, but the young boy had thought about the question, the words playing over in his mind as he struggled to come up with an answer, the question itself bringing up memories he would have preferred to be hidden. Kanda looked to the opposite side, each hand folded neatly on his two legs.

"It doesn't matter."

Allen looked away, his gaze returning to the wooden floor. Timcanpy was looking up at him with no expression his face, the golden golem seeming to read Allen's thoughts thoroughly – Allen wouldn't have been surprised, for he had known the small device since he had first met Cross. At the thought of Cross, Allen's eyes travelled to the ceiling above his head, thoughts of the afterlife beginning to swirl around in his tired mind. It wasn't a terribly new thought; but it was one that rarely crossed him at all.

"Oi, moyashi."

"You know, Kanda," Allen said, closing his eyes as he focused his entire body facing forward. "You said you'd remember my name if I survived for a month. It's been a lot longer."

"Tch, did you forget? You almost died on your first real mission."

Allen laughed slightly, remembering Mater and the events that had transpired. It was the first time his Innocence had transformed into something new; it was also his first mission with Kanda. He could still recall Lala's lullaby, the haunting song carved into his memory. When the level two had burst through and killed Guzol and Lala, Allen had lost control of himself, anger ruling his body as it transformed into a gun-like weapon.

It was the first time rage had altered him, but it wasn't the last.

_Don't fight with hatred… Master had said something along the lines of that._

"If every time someone says something, you go into a depressed looking state of mind, no one's going to talk to you."

There was a hint of a joking tone in his voice – a very small hint – but Allen didn't really pay attention, furrowing his brows as a sign of confusion. He hadn't meant to put on a look of any kind of sadness, but the recent events were beginning to catch up to him, insisting on keeping his mind at anything but at ease. Shrugging, Allen smiled as he looked at the samurai, attempting to convince Kanda he was all right.

"You're not fooling anyone," he said, turning away and lowering his gaze. "I doubt you're fooling yourself, moyashi."

His voice had dropped considerably, proving how odd it was to say it to Allen of all people – but the words rang true, and Allen just continued to smile.

"Tch… How long are you planning to defy Komui?" Kanda asked, referring to the fact that Allen wasn't where he was supposed to be. The white haired boy shrugged, looking forward again.

_I shouldn't be doing this, but staying in the same room for so long… I was going mad. _

Sighing, Allen closed his eyes, trying his hardest to calm down. His head was pounding uncomfortably, the insistent intrusion intent on creating an aura of discomfort and impatience. Allen didn't understand exactly what was happening to him – why the migraines always seemed to appear at the worst of times – but something was being hinted at him, and as much as the young exorcist hated to admit it, he could _feel_ the Fourteenth's presence growing, almost as if the shadow was overlapping Allen's, desperate to claim the frail body as his own. Sleep only brought more nightmares or dreams, and peace was something he had lost after his last assignment.

_Or maybe it was before. I can't tell anymore._

"How are your wounds?" Kanda asked, his voice low and inquisitive, causing Allen to look up.

"Why do you care, Kanda?" Allen asked, his voice holding no venom, just innocent curiosity; he was tired of trying to solve things on his own. If he could even obtain one answer to something that was nagging him, then it would free him from the questioning chains that bound him.

Maybe.

"I don't. But I do care about the fact that I'll be in shit if you suddenly drop dead."

Allen nodded, understanding exactly what Kanda meant. He expected the remark to bypass him, but it left an unfamiliar ache in his heart, his throat constricting as the weight of the recent events began crushing him. He rarely shed a tear, unless it was something that was truly horrific, even for him to handle – but despite this, it was getting increasingly harder to hold everything in, images of Krory dead on the ground, or the Fourteenth taking his place and destroying the people he cared about flashing in his mind. He had seen the latter before, and he had thought about what could truly happen if Cross' prediction came true, and the torturous, unrelenting shots continued to fire at him, corroding his mind and tainting him with darkness.

Kanda noticed this.

"…You know, moyashi, you wonder why Lenalee, and Lavi, and basically every fucking person in the Order who knows you worries about you – you don't help when you get a look like that. No one will admit there's something wrong with you, even you won't. So tell me, moyashi, do you realize you're opening yourself to the Fourteenth?"

Allen stared in surprise, his eyes wide and his expression pure shock. Kanda rolled his eyes, tempted to slap Allen clear across the face like he had done before.

"Don't give me that damn look!"

"K-Kanda…"

Allen looked away, his mouth slightly parted and his eyes glazed over with the familiar lost look. Kanda stood up, not heading towards the door, but the opposite wall instead. Allen got an idea, standing up as well and ignoring the pain that his injuries produced at the sudden movement.

"Kanda, let's spar."

Said exorcist looked at Allen like the boy had completely lost his fucking mind.

"You're kidding, right?"

Allen shook his head. He hadn't been on an assignment in more then a month, and with Kanda not being able to take on a mission – which he still found suspicious, since the wound should have healed, and the fact that it didn't seem like it was a large deal just strengthened his doubt – neither of them were able to fight, and Kanda usually trained on his own.

Allen felt the need to get his frustrations out.

Kanda seemed to realize this, for he stood still for a few moments, debating whether or not he should take the risk of destroying Allen in his condition.

"I'm not dying. My injuries are healing. And no Innocence – which means it's a clean spar. Besides, you can't tell me you're not bored just sitting around?"

"…Fine. But if you get hurt, it's not my fault."

Allen smiled – a genuine smile – and nodded, Timcanpy biting on his hair once again. Allen attempted to pull off the golem, but the small device was intent on stopping Allen from sparring with Kanda, of all people. Finally, Allen was able to free his hair from the teeth of Timcanpy, and he let the golem go, Tim flying around worriedly as both exorcists in the room gathered in a fighting stance. Allen smirked, his hair falling around his face as he leaned his right foot back, lifting both arms and clenching his hands into fists. Kanda rolled his eyes, getting into a similar stance, his features a mask.

"Remember, moyashi – no Innocence."

Kanda lunged forward, aiming for a clean shot on Allen's head, but the latter dodged, rolling sideways as the samurai's fist went directly overtop of him. He jumped up, launching his fist forward to hit Kanda in the stomach, but Kanda expected this, quickly moving in the opposite direction and causing Allen to miss like Kanda had did seconds before. Allen quickly regained himself, but Kanda had already jumped forward, shooting a hit that would have gotten Allen square in the face had he not fallen backwards. On his back and slightly panting, Allen kicked upwards, tripping the samurai as he landed ungracefully on his front, glaring at the younger boy. Allen regained his balance as he stood up, the world beginning to swim; he ignored it, intent on winning the match. The exorcist had intended on attacking Kanda while he was on the ground, but the older male had already regained his footing, blocking the punch that Allen threw forward. The hit was hard enough to slide Kanda backwards slightly, and he could feel the soles of his feet burn from the material of the floor. He smirked as Allen attempted to hit again, slinking downwards as the white haired boy missed, almost falling forward at having lost his target. Kanda slid forward, punching Allen in the gut; it wasn't hard enough to cause an immense amount of pain, even with Allen's injuries, but it was enough to get the younger boy to gag slightly.

"Nice shot," Allen said, lifting his arms in an 'x' position, blocking the oncoming slaughter that Kanda produced. Said exorcist kicked upwards, effectively breaking the position Allen's arms held as the smaller boy fell backwards once again, his head hitting the ground slightly harder then Kanda had meant. Blackness threatened to overtake him, but he pushed away the unconsciousness, struggling to stand up as Kanda prepared for another attack. He didn't give the samurai enough time to actually produce another hit, for he quickly pushed his legs upward, hitting Kanda directly in the chest and sending him flying a few feet away. Both exorcists stood up, but Allen was already prepared, lunging forward and punching Kanda in the side of the head – not hard enough to do much damage. Kanda glared, regaining his balance. He obtained a chance to strike, hitting Allen in the mouth quite painfully. The latter felt himself falling, but he quickly pushed himself forward, regaining his own lost balance and rubbing away the blood that had began to drip down his chin.

"Not bad, moyashi," Kanda said, slightly out of breath; he was standing, but he looked slightly bruised. Allen smirked, standing up as he wiped at his mouth once again, his breath faster then Kanda's. His wounds felt like they were on fire due to the intense battle that they had just gone through – well, as intense as any battle would get between exorcists – but Allen ignored it, not showing any sign of pain in his expression.

"Same to you, Bakanda."

He quickly slid down the hard wall behind him, landing in an unceremonious heap. Although the threat of unconsciousness had slipped slightly, the possibility was still there, and the room in front of him swayed slightly. Kanda sat down a few feet away, leaning back on his hands as he watched Allen carefully.

"Did you overdo it?"

Allen shook his head, assuring Kanda that he was alright. The gash on the side of his face began to sting fiercely, and suddenly, a loud bang went off that sounded like a gun shot. He covered his ears, the noise far too loud for his migraine.

_Where did that come from?_

"What was that?" Allen asked, looking to Kanda; the latter just blinked, not sure what Allen was talking about.

"What was what?"

It was Allen's turn to be confused, lowering his hands and looking around. He couldn't deny the fact that he had heard the shot, but if Kanda hadn't heard it, had it only been Allen who did?

"The… gun shot?"

Kanda shook his head, continuing to watch Allen carefully. As suddenly as the gun shot had sounded, a shrill scream pierced Allen's hearing, and the exorcist leaned forward, covering his ears once again as the noise became unbearable.

"_The worst has yet to come, yet here you are, pretending nothing is wrong when you know there's a lot more to what you know."_

Allen struggled to push the voice away, the screaming dying down to a tortured cry and small whimper. He couldn't recognize who it was, but he knew that only he could hear it; Kanda just sat motionless, not sure what was going on with the boy sitting in front of him.

_Am I going crazy? Or am I already? The shadow… has it begun talking to me now?_

Allen sighed as the screaming and crying subsided, leaving a slight buzzing noise in his head that he could ignore. He lowered his hands, closing his eyes as he tried to straighten out his thoughts. Kanda said nothing, not sure what had just happened.

The lights above the room flickered, causing Kanda to look up; Allen remained motionless, and if it wasn't for the rise and fall of his bandaged chest and the small strands of hair that moved with the breath emanating from Allen's parted mouth, Kanda would have believed the younger boy was close to death. The lights flickered again, earning a stir from the boy lost in thought as he opened his eyes the tiniest bit. He looked slightly confused as the bright lights dimmed over and over again every ten or so seconds, and he looked to Kanda, his head tilted backwards as his eyes only remained slightly seeing. There was a hint of pain and doubt clouding his vision.

"Is it storming outside?"

There were no windows in the room, and Allen hadn't seen the light – or dark – of day and night in what seemed like forever. All he had seen were endless walls and dark corridors that led no where. Kanda shrugged, standing up as he intended to leave.

"Moyashi, let's go."

Allen opened his eyes completely, a lost look evident on his far too pale face.

"Where?" He asked, standing up; he left the ground too soon however, for the world swam sickeningly, causing him to lose balance. He expected to meet something hard, preparing for the crunch that would be inevitable once skull met wood. Suddenly, something tight wound around his wrist, pulling him forward as he struggled to catch his lost footing.

"Tch, you're becoming a pain, moyashi. This was a bad idea from the start – "

"I'm fine, thank you," Allen interrupted, refusing to meet Kanda's eyes. The elder samurai glared a bit longer, releasing his grip on Allen when the latter regained sight of the world in front of him.

"You're going back to the hospital room, and I'm going to see what the fuck is going on with the light system."

Allen nodded, any morale he had for arguing gone as fatigue ruled his body once again. It was becoming a nuisance, he knew, and he wished that his injured body would regain enough strength to at least be able to fight – or spar with Kanda without dying of exhaustion.

_The worst has yet to come._

Allen shook his head of the morbid thought, following somewhat closely behind Kanda ahead of him. The exorcist was rigid, almost as if poised for attack, and Allen figured he was just being overcautious.

_He doesn't even have Mugen… Where is it?_

"Kanda," Allen started, speeding up slightly to reach a position that allowed him to walk beside his comrade-slash-enemy. "Where's Mugen? I think this is the first time I've seen you without it your Innocence."

"…Komui is fixing it."

Allen's eyes widened in surprised, not sure what to make of the information.

'_This is a warning sign, Allen Walker.'_

Allen glared at nothing in particular, the voice becoming loud and annoying. He gently rubbed his forehead, the rough feel of the bandages not fazing him as he closed his eyes.

_This is getting ridiculous. But what can I do? _

"What are you hearing?" Kanda asked, slowing his pace as they reached the hallway that lead past Komui's office. Allen looked to the opposite side, debating whether or not to tell Kanda about the screaming. He decided against it, shaking his head as he lowered his hand and looked forward, smiling slightly as the familiar façade returned. Timcanpy nestled into his white hair, sensing Allen's distress once again.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

Kanda chose not to respond, stopping in front of Komui's office and signaling for Allen to keep going. Loud voices were echoing from inside the room, and Allen paused, recognizing Leverrier's stern yet impassive voice.

"We have no choice. We can not afford to be short one exorcist, since we are already down two."

"Yes, but he's injured! You can't expect him – "

"I expect the same from all exorcists. We're not _coddling_ them, Komui, as I have told you before."

Allen stepped closer to the door, not keen on eavesdropping but feeling like he should pay attention to what was being said. Kanda seemed to have a similar idea, standing beside the door and looking away, clearly able to hear every word being said.

"He was close to _dying!_ And yet you expect him to face off all the Noah at once in his condition?"

_What are they talking about?_

He looked to Kanda for some kind of answer, but the elder exorcist just looked at him as if he was far too naive.

"Inspector Link will be accompanying the four exorcists, as well. There is no room for debate."

Allen clenched his fists, the urge to smash the door in front of him taking its toll on his body. Kanda shook his head, pulling Allen away from the almost crushed wood that put a wall in between the cursed boy and the Central higher up.

"…When are you planning to send them?"

Allen could hear the defeat in Komui's voice, the evident impatience and worry prominent. The conversation had shut out any thoughts and worries from his mind, the chilling voice in his head nearly forgotten as he focused on the current situation at hand. Kanda looked suspicious, his bangs covering his eyes as he tried to make sense of what was happening; Allen figured he hadn't been informed of what was happening, either. Allen heard Leverrier say something along the lines of 'four days,' but he wasn't sure, the voice fading as Leverrier seemed to get farther away from the door. The room had gone quiet, and footsteps suddenly got louder and louder as they approached the exit to the room. Allen jumped backwards as the door swung open, revealing a stoic looking man with blonde hair that Allen hadn't seen in quite a long time. Link glared, the clipboard in his hand as a disapproving look overtook his expression.

"I do not believe you were authorized to be out of bed, Mr. Walker," Link said, holding out his hand; Allen took it cautiously, Link helping him to his feet as Allen brushed himself off. Leverrier came up behind Link, the sick smirk on his face as he stared at Allen.

"Ah, Mr. Walker, we were just on our way to discuss some matters with you," Leverrier said, breaking his contact to look over at Kanda, the blue haired exorcist looking at Leverrier with an empty look. "And Mr. Kanda, you're here as well."

"Allen! What are you doing out of bed? And what happened to your mouth?" Komui rushed out, slamming open the door all the way so it collided with the wall. Allen cringed as the noise assaulted his mind, the screaming seeming to echo along with the sound of the door. He subconsciously wiped his mouth, a bit of blood still clinging to his skin from the punch that Kanda had landed. Not wanting to make more of a fuss, he lied easily, the prospect of how well he was becoming making him nervous.

"I tripped."

It was clean, and it was simple – Komui bought it, shaking his head as he was about to usher Allen back to the room in the hospital. Leverrier held out his arm, placing his other one on Allen's shoulder and subtly – yet roughly – pushing the younger boy through the threshold of Komui's office. Link directed Kanda in as well, and Komui sighed, shaking his head as he shut the door. Allen looked around, spotting Reever and Johnny on the wall beside Komui's desk, the scattered papers surrounding them as they looked tired and worn out. Reever caught one glance at Allen and almost dropped the stack of forms, his eyes widening at the sight of the injured boy.

"Allen…"

Said boy attempted a smile, assuring the two workers from the science division that he was all right. Leverrier cleared his throat, letting go of Allen's shoulder as the white haired boy sat down on the couch, Kanda standing beside the door as he waited for the others to speak.

"Well, Mr. Kanda, you can take a seat. We're in no hurry here – "

"What do you want? I have business to attend to," Kanda snapped, crossing his arms as he glared. Leverrier wasn't bothered in the slightest, leaning against Komui's desk as a sign of fake casualness. Allen silently sighed, lowering his gaze as he waited for Leverrier to begin whatever he was attempting to get across.

"Well, we have an assignment for the two of you – and Ms. Lenalee and Mr. Lavi when they return from their current assignment. You four – including Inspector Link – will infiltrate the Noah base, and rescue the two remaining exorcists that are currently in their grasp."

"Um, if I may," Allen interrupted, looking up curiously. "How do you know where they are?"

Leverrier seemed to be expecting this, smiling at the younger boy as he gestured to the map.

"We received information from Tyki this morning – "

"And you didn't inform us?" Kanda interrupted, looking slightly angry. Allen glanced behind him, watching the samurai carefully.

"I do not believe it is our duty to inform you of everything that is happening within the Order, correct?" Leverrier asked, before continuing on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Tyki – "

"Wait," Allen interrupted, causing Komui to hit his head off the desk. In any other situation, Allen probably would have found it slightly humorous. "How did you get information from Tyki? They don't know where the new headquarters are – "

"Ms. Lenalee had encountered them on her mission, and she informed us by golem – "

"Wait, them?"

"_Mr. Walker,_" Leverrier said sternly, any sign of friendliness wiped off of his face. "Please refrain from interrupting. Now, if I may continue, Tyki and _Road_ left a very concerning message to the exorcists stating that Allen Walker is to be the trade off for the two exorcists the Noah have now. _However_, as we are not going to sacrifice an exorcist," Kanda snorted, showing his clear disbelief of the hypocrisy of the man that was speaking, "_Ahem,_ then we are going to infiltrate the area they left for direction."

Allen blinked, not sure if he was catching on what Leverrier was saying.

"And since you are still under suspicion, Mr. Walker, Inspector Link will be keeping an extra close eye on you, understood? You will be leaving in four days. Be prepared."

Allen nodded. He wanted to be part of the mission anyways, and now Leverrier was basically handing him a free pass to get away with it. He was slightly angry at the traitor remark, but he had learned to let it go when it came to Central.

_They had still banned me from speaking to my own master. I don't understand Central._

"_Breathe, Allen."_

Allen blinked, any sign of anger dispersing at the voice that had returned in his head. He must have looked suspicious, for Leverrier walked closer to him, squinting his eyes as if trying to assess the young boy. Allen met the glare in return, his face an expressionless mask as he held back the frustration that was trying to release once again.

"If there are no further arguments," Leverrier stated, holding his hand up when Komui had risen from his seat. "Then you are free to leave, Mr. Kanda. As for you, Walker," the politeness gone from his voice, Allen stood up, still glaring at Leverrier. "You are to return to your room, whether it be hospital or your assigned room here. Inspector Link will be accompanying you as before."

Allen nodded, but the look from Komui clearly stated that Allen was to return to the hospital. He made to leave, Kanda already heading out the door, when the latter pulled him out of the room and slammed the door to Komui's office shut, Link not getting a chance to leave. Allen made to speak, but Kanda produced a death glare, quickly stopping any flow of words that were going to come from Allen. Kanda's hand was on the doorknob, and his other arm was placed on the other side of Allen, trapping him.

"Listen, and listen well," Kanda said in a low voice, glancing up at the door. "Do not say anything to anyone about what happened today, understood? The spar, the gunshot, _nothing. _Based on what Leverrier said, you're under ten times more scrutiny then you were before. Anything else that could add to that will end with you being condemned, and despite the fact that I don't give a shit what the fuck happens, I really don't feel like having Leverrier _or_ Link on my ass. Understood?"

Allen nodded, completely taken aback.

"Also, you need to figure out why you heard that gunshot. I sure as hell didn't, and this could be a warning sign. Don't mess around, moyashi, got it?"

Kanda walked backwards just as the door finally swung open, revealing a pissed off looking Link. Komui stood still, shock etched into his stance as his eyes averted back and forth between the two exorcists that weren't supposed to get along.

"Is there something wrong, Komui?" Allen asked innocently, smiling at the chief. If there was one thing he learned, it was to not piss off Kanda when Kanda was actually helping. Komui just shook his head, ushering the two boys off, Link following behind. The last thing Allen saw before the door to Komui's office closed, was Leverrier looking like he had just won a battle that only he himself knew about.

ii.

"Oh dear God."

It was the only time he could be in his own privacy, he realized shortly after returning to the hospital room. He had snuck into the bathroom, effectively gaining time to be by himself. However, as soon as he turned around, he was face to face with the very thing he had avoided looking into for more then a month.

His reflection.

The dense shadow still loomed over him, but that wasn't what shocked him. Allen's eyes were highlighted by deep circles under them, his face paler then he had ever seen. The white bandage was taped over the gash on the side of his face, but the red and slit skin still appeared on the side, the edges rough and slightly swollen. His scar stood out better then it ever had, and the added cut that was slowly beginning to heal almost blended with the red, jagged line. The pentacle on his forehead was covered by the white wrap that was tightly tied around his head, blood seeping through as it dried. His chest was covered as well, but the white material was smartly hidden by the navy robe-like sweater he had attained to block his skin from the piercing cold that was seeping through the building. His white hair was slightly messy, parted in the middle as usual. Timcanpy was still resting in his hair, and it hadn't moved once during the meeting with Leverrier, or the one sided conversation he and Kanda had.

Allen turned on the tap, trying to create a diversion so Link didn't suspect anything. Suddenly, the lights flickered, and Allen slapped his head as he remembered what happened in the training room – both he and Kanda had forgotten about the lights. They flickered again, and Allen waited for the power to completely die, but the luminescence still shone in the room, any sign of a power outage disappearing. He continued to stare at his reflection, when he began to notice something strange.

It was as if his body was fading away, and the shadow behind him was gaining a clearer image. He looked down worriedly, but his flesh and blood were still intact, no visible sign of him being stripped of his existence. However, as he glanced back up, the shadow smiled even wider, holding out his hand as if offering Allen a way out of all the stress and pain.

"_Escape…"_

Allen shook his head, his fists clenching. He didn't want to disappear – he didn't want to destroy his friends. The white eyes narrowed, and Allen placed his hand on the cold glass, expecting to be sucked into the reflective surface. Tilting his head, he watched as a familiar butterfly flew around the shadow's outstretched hand. At first, he had expected it to be the same butterfly from his dreams – then maybe he could piece together some kind of answer – but as Allen got a closer look, he recognized it as a Tease; or what blindly resembled the flesh eating butterfly.

"_Escape…"_

In a mix of fear, frustration, and perhaps exhaustion of everything, Allen rolled back his arm, letting his hand go as it smashed through the glass, the small shards scattering as any sign of the Fourteenth's shadow disappeared. The sound of water hitting glass echoed as well, the pieces falling into the sink that was being flooded with liquid from the tap. Adrenaline had surged through him as his human hand met the sharp pieces, shattering the mirror, but the rush of energy was gone, leaving Allen alone as he sunk to the ground, his hand a bloody mess. Small pieces of the sharp material littered the edges of his skin and were etched deep into the flesh, and blood had began to gather around the shards, racing down his fingers as the warm liquid pooled into a sick puddle on the floor. Allen felt light headed, but slightly relieved at the lack of reflection. Timcanpy bit his nose, desperate to grab Allen's attention.

"_My Timcanpy…"_

"Am I alone? Mana, Cross… I want to believe they cared. I want to believe that what I'm doing is right. But somehow, this feels all wrong. What am I doing, Timcanpy? I just smashed a mirror," Allen let loose a hollow laugh. "Once Link finds out, they'll probably think I've gone crazy. 'Don't mess around' was what Kanda said. Does this count as messing around?"

Timcanpy bit harder, trying to snap Allen out of his stupor.

"Everything is different… I don't understand what's happening anymore. Have I lost my mind?"

He glanced down to his hand, chuckling to himself.

"I didn't even use my Innocence hand."

Timcanpy seemed to shake, letting go of Allen's nose as the boy fell down on his side, curling up into himself. He closed his eyes tightly, trying not to let the tears escape, but failing. He held his injured hand close, the blood smelling of metal and something else he couldn't place. He had no energy to get up and get his hand looked at, but he couldn't bring himself to care, his tired body finally collapsing as he fell into a deep sleep, the same voice speaking once again.

'_Destroyer of Time… Maybe Destroyer of Himself would be a more fitting term, no?'_

iii.

"Link, where's moyashi?"

The blonde man looked up, surprised to see Kanda storming into the room. It had only been five or so minutes since he had let Allen disappear into the bathroom, and Link had taken a seat that was beside Allen's bed. He could faintly hear the sound of water running, but he could have sworn something had fallen. A few more minutes, and he would have gone too investigate – he was giving the injured exorcist a slight break, figuring the weight of everything was starting to get to the young boy.

"Bathroom."

Kanda rolled his eyes, disappearing around the corner where the bathroom was located; conveniently, the room wasn't far, and Kanda had reached the door in a matter of seconds. He opened it, expecting to see Allen brushing his teeth, or something of the sort, but at first glance, all he could spot were empty stalls. His eyes travelled to the sinks, a single tap running infinitely. Glass littered the ground and counter, and Kanda froze as he spotted a very frail looking boy lying on the ground, his face one of pure torture and a small pool of blood gathering around his cradled hand. A familiar golden device flew around, nudging the small boy constantly as he struggled to wake up Allen.

_What the fuck has he done now…_


	17. Chapter 17

So, a little information on the writing process of this chapter: I sat down, stared at the screen for ten minutes while listening to sad songs from the DGM soundtrack… then I started writing like HOLYCRAP. I literally wrote, non-stop, for six hours. Then finished the rest the next day. I couldn't figure out where to end it! Then I spent an hour trying to come up with a title, until I settled on something simple and to the point… Anyways, thanks to all who reviewed and favorite/alerted! I appreciate it.

To Accountless; I appreciated your review, and I know all to well the stress of school, so don't worry! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I absolutely love taking requests. Link will play a larger role later on in the story, and I'll definitely take into account your request. As for Noah vs. Exorcist… well, you'll see! :3 Thank you for your review!

Also, chapter 201 is out! There's a nice rant on my profile about my opinion on it; feel free to look it up, or send in your own opinions! I'd love to discuss it. Without further ado, here's chapter seventeen! I can't believe how many chapters I've gotten to, and I don't think I'm at the halfway point yet either… Enter the action beloooow, and leave a review?

* * *

17.

[shattered reflections; the start of the assignment]

"_It's not my concern what happens to you. But I wouldn't exactly have a clear conscious if I left you here to die."_

_

* * *

_i.

"Glass is pretty, Mana."

"Indeed, Allen."

The young child smiled up at his father figure, a real smile that he hadn't felt like putting on in almost two weeks. The elder clown smiled back, his eyes sparkling with untold happiness at the toothy grin he hadn't seen in what felt like so long. Allen knelt down, picking up the piece of clear, smooth material, running his index finger over the small indents and chips that the glass had acquired. He placed it gently in Mana's outstretched hand, the latter holding up the piece of glass in front of the sun. Thin stretches of yellow light reflected all around, highlighting the abandoned road and making the small pieces of gravel and stones come to life. Allen laughed, his tiny voice light as he followed one of the lights, his green coat blowing behind him from the wind. Snow covered areas of the ground, and the clouds moving in the sky promised spring, the large yellow star bright as it shone in the sky. Mana watched as Allen's features were kissed by the sun, his auburn hair whipping around his face. He quickly waved to Mana as he turned around, the smile still evident, his face flushed pink with excitement.

"Mana! Look, there's more! Where did it all come from?"

The man with the top hat chuckled, walking slowly until he reached the clown-in-training. Kneeling down, he tapped Allen's nose, causing him to protest as he pushed Mana's hand away.

"Mana! What was that for?"

"You're a lot more talkative now, Allen."

Allen nodded slowly, realizing the same revelation. It hadn't been very long since he had been taken under Mana's wings, yet somehow, it felt good to be around the man who was slowly working his way to becoming Allen's non-biological father.

"Mana," Allen said, taking the hand that was offered to him as Mana stood up, continuing along the abandoned path. "Where's the next place you're performing?"

Mana smiled, picking up the pace of both of them as the glass covered more and more of the ground.

"How about… you perform, too?"

"But I haven't practiced enough!"

Mana chuckled, squeezing the boy's hand tighter.

"You'll be fine, Allen. You'll be fine."

ii.

_Mana?_

"Allen, look out!"

_Why is there so much blood? Why is it so cold? Where's Mana? We're supposed to practice for tomorrow… Is someone dying?_

Click. Click.

_Why does my head hurt? People are screaming! I'm crying? What's going on? Mana! Mana, help! Where are you?_

"Someone get a doctor! This man isn't breathing!"

_Isn't breathing? Mana, I'm scared. _

"Allen…"

_Mana? I can hear you, where are you? Please, I'm scared… _

"We're too late. Does anyone know who this man is?

_I recognize that dead man's face… It's Mana! Mana, no!_

"It's all right, boy. We'll get you somewhere safe."

"No!" _I'm screaming? Was I the one who was screaming? _"Mana! Come back!" _Why isn't he coming back?_

"_What are you scared of?"_

_That's not Mana's voice… _

"_No, it's not. But you should wake up, now. Preferably before your golem decides to eat your face."_

_Golem?_

Allen screamed.

iii.

"Nngh…"

Allen groaned, something banging on the side of his head with a force that physically made him gag. He spluttered incoherently for a few minutes, coughing and wiping away the wetness that had gathered at the corner of his eyes. A sharp pain in his hand made him stop and look down at the bloody limb that was covered in crystalline pieces; however, it looked as if some of the blood had been wiped away. Blinking, the current events caught up to his mind, and he subconsciously curled his fist – causing the glass to dig deeper into his flesh, crimson droplets pooling out and staining his white skin. He sat up, tiny sparks of rainbow light catching in his eyes as the glass surrounded him in tiny pieces, alerting him to the destruction he had caused. Timcanpy flew around Allen's face, seeming relieved that the young boy had woken up. Allen groaned again, rubbing his eyes with his Innocence, his muscles stiff from the position he had been lying in. He hadn't the foggiest idea of how much time had transpired while he was unconscious, and he was surprised to find himself still in the bathroom. A sudden noise from behind him made him glance upwards, spotting a pissed off exorcist running a cloth under one of the taps. His white shirt was missing part of the right sleeve, and Allen realized that the piece of cloth was actually a piece of the shirt, red dotting the white as it blended together.

"K…Kanda?" Allen asked, his voice sticking in his throat as he choked out the name.

"Good, you're conscious again. Only took you a half an hour. What the fuck happened?" Allen blinked again, the exorcist in front of him not even glancing behind to look at the cursed boy. He wasn't sure what to say, or how to explain to Kanda what had occurred to him before he smashed the mirror. If he told Kanda that the shadow was becoming clearer, he'd be admitting that the Fourteenth was gaining a stronger hold –

The thought made him gag, and he quickly stood up, stumbling to one of the stalls as he leaned over the toilet bowl, emptying his stomach contents into the crystalline porcelain. The food he had earlier had already digested, and he struggled to release anything as he ended up dry heaving. His chest was on fire as the movement caused his wounds to protest, and some blood trickled down his chin, his throat slightly torn. The water from the tap was still running, but as Allen's energy drained and he sunk to the floor, the water stopped. He attempted to stand up, but his limbs were numb, his hand tingling with constant stinging from the glass etched into his skin. He was about to stand up once again, but footsteps made him pause; suddenly, strong hands were around his legs and upper back, the air whistling around him as he was lifted from his position on the floor.

"Tch, you're really annoying sometimes. Here," Kanda said as he set Allen against the wall and away from the glass, wiping Allen's mouth with the cloth before placing the cool material on Allen's forehead. The water leaked through the bandages wrapped around his head, but he didn't care, the cold liquid feeling good against the burning skin that wasn't disguised with various cuts and gashes. Allen watched through lidded eyes as Kanda pulled another piece of cloth from his sleeve, placing it on the floor beside him. Kanda gave no warning as he lifted Allen's injured hand, pulling out the larger pieces of glass and setting them on the material on the floor; it initiated a rush of pain from the wounds, but Allen attempted to ignore it, not in the mood nor position to complain. Kanda continued to work, the slight clang from glass hitting glass the only sound in the deserted bathroom.

"So," Kanda started, not looking up. "What happened?"

Allen shrugged.

"I… Broke the mirror."

"Tch, I figured as much dumbass. Hence the broken glass – which, by the way, is going to be a bitch to clean up. Why did you do it?"

Allen looked away, slightly nauseous. The reason he had vomited in the first place was because of the thoughts stemming from the earlier incident. He couldn't assure himself he'd be able to keep his stomach calm, and the thought of the Fourteenth made his head swirl. Thankfully, no mirror was in his vicinity, so he couldn't see the mocking figure.

"Moyashi, you're spacing out again. Answer my question."

Allen still didn't look at the older samurai, and he couldn't force his voice out. Then, Kanda said something completely unexpected.

"…Please."

Allen blinked a few times before looking over at Kanda; the latter had his eyes hidden by his bangs, and his movements were quick and with purpose. It wasn't like Kanda to be polite to Allen – in any way, shape, or form – but there he was, helping said boy, no venom in his voice or his movements.

"Why are you helping me?"

"It's not my concern what happens to you. But I wouldn't exactly have a clear conscious if I left you here to die."

Allen laughed slightly, but it was empty – like it had been before he passed out. The small smile dropped from his features, and the memories he had witnessed only moments prior marched into his head, unshed tears gathering in the corner of his left eye. He wiped away the salty liquid, trying his hardest to clear his mind of the sunshine, the glass, the warmth his hand had felt when he walked with Mana –

_He's dead, Allen. Stop this._

It wasn't the voice that had said it, but Allen himself, the dark thought speaking too much truth that he could handle.

"The shadow," he started, pushing away thoughts about Mana. "It was holding out his hand. It was… clearer. I did the first thing that came to mind."

He grip on his hand tightened slightly; for anyone else, they probably wouldn't have noticed the change in pressure, but Allen had learned to read people, and he could easily feel the difference. It didn't help that it sent a sharp wave of pain up his hand and through his wrist, as well.

"I'm fi – "

"Don't fucking say it," Kanda snapped, looking at Allen angrily. Allen coiled back slightly, the grip much tighter. "You're not 'fine.' People who punch mirrors are not 'fine.'"

Allen stared for a few minutes, the room silent. There was a small dripping noise in the background, but Allen had blocked it out earlier, the water not bothering him in the slightest. He was aware of the pain from his hand and the fire in his chest that hadn't diminished after he vomited, but he paid no mind, refusing to take his eyes off of the man sitting in front of him. Kanda had stopped pulling out the glass, staring straight back at Allen. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Allen sighed in defeat, his shoulders sagging as he soaked up Kanda's words. Kanda _tch_'d, removing another piece of glass forcefully and none-too-gently.

"…You were talking in your sleep."

Allen looked up, slightly taken aback at Kanda's words.

"Oh… What was I saying?" He asked, intrigued. Kanda didn't look up, and his voice had gone quieter then it had been.

"Something about Mana."

Allen nodded, the sick feeling returning to his stomach. Out of nowhere, the dark aura that he had felt earlier started to return, caressing him slowly. He tried to push it away, but the current situation had left him with no adrenaline, and he was barely conscious as he was. He hadn't felt it in a while, and it was a slight shock to have it return so suddenly. Kanda seemed to figure something was wrong, for he didn't push on the subject, continuing to remove the glass. By the time Allen had gained some control over the darkness, Kanda pulled the last piece of glass out, setting it in the pile beside him. Allen averted his gaze away from the samurai to look at the pieces of what remained of the mirror; on top of the cloth sat a large hill of different sized crystalline, and Allen's eyes widened, the amount surprising him slightly.

"I don't think I got all of it out, but it looks clean. The nurse – "

"No," Allen interrupted, pulling his hand back as Kanda let go. "We can't. You can't – they'll… Link, he'll say something. Central…" His words were in parts, but he hoped Kanda got the gist of it. He hadn't thought about the consequence of his action before he blanked, but now that he had time to think – well, not a lot of time – the sudden realization of what would happen if Link, or anyone else, found out about him smashing him hit him. He had said aloud to Timcanpy, who was still flying around worriedly, that Link would probably think he'd gone crazy – he hadn't actually registered those words, but now they were clear, sending him a message that caused his stomach to sink. He didn't want to know – or think about – what Leverrier would do.

"Tch, someone's bound to find out eventually. And some of the cuts on your hand will need stitches. Since you weren't smart enough to use your hand that has _Innocence_ in it – "

"Yeah, I realize that wasn't the smartest idea, but neither was smashing the glass in the first place. Kanda, I can't – "

"Tch," Kanda interrupted. He rubbed his temples, and Allen took it as a sign of a migraine forming. "You're really fucking annoying, you know that? Wait here."

Allen nodded, curious as to where the exorcist was going. Kanda quickly stood up, bending over to pick up the glass covered cloth. He folded the four corners over, effectively trapping what was left of the shattered mirror. He pocketed it before leaning over Allen, removing the wet cloth and wrapping it around Allen's injured hand, adding another bandage to his battered body.

"Try and clean up as much of the glass as you can – but use your Innocence, dumbass."

Allen nodded, but before the older male could leave, Allen called out a question.

"How come you used your shirt?"

"Because yours isn't easy to rip material," was all he said, exiting the room and shutting the door behind him. Allen sighed, standing up with difficulty before activating the claw version of his Innocence. He didn't bother to activate Crown Clown completely, since there was no need too. He scooped up as much glass from the ground as he could, deactivating when he had a good handful. He placed the various pieces on the counter, the extremely tiny pieces still littering the tiled floor. He groaned before leaning back against the wall, sinking down and landing in an undignified heap. He was tired and ridden with pain.

_I wonder how Krory is doing…_

Allen brought his knees to his chest, burying his head in his arms. He was supposed to leave in four days, and Kanda had explicitly told him not to do anything stupid, but when he had felt his hand shatter the mirror, something clicked inside him; although he knew smashing the mirror was a bad idea, it left him with some resolve, his promise to not destroy his friends strengthening. However, the thought of the Fourteenth getting stronger still toyed around in his mind, and it left him feeling vulnerable and lightheaded.

Was this what Leverrier wanted?

_That bastard…_

Allen closed his eyes, trying to rid himself of the newfound anger and frustration; anger at the man who had put him under scrutiny in the first place, and frustration at the feeling of not being able to do anything.

_Where's Link, anyways? I'm surprised he didn't follow me._

The door opened slowly, and Kanda snuck in, quickly shutting it behind him. He was holding a pin and some thread in his hand, and Allen blinked, the items' use registering in his mind. Kanda seemed to realize this, a smirk forming on his lips as he walked over and kneeled in front of Allen.

"You don't want to get it looked at? Fine. You'll do it manually."

Allen nodded as Kanda threaded the pin, a clean knot tied perfectly at the end. Allen wondered where Kanda had learned to do that, but he shook his head mentally of the thoughts, focusing on the current situation. Kanda handed him the pin with a disapproving look as he removed the wet cloth, and Allen accepted it, easing it through the first cut carefully. It stung extremely painfully, but he bit his tongue, eager to finish the job before someone walked in and realized what had happened. He seemed to work slowly, but he managed to complete the majority of his hand as he wound the flesh back together. Blood trickled down his hand, and by the time he had reached the last wound, his fingers were dyed red and his Innocence was cramping slightly. He cut the last of the thread with his teeth before Kanda took over, tying up the thread that Allen couldn't, since he was limited to one hand.

"Now to discard of the rest of the glass," Allen said when Kanda finished, but the latter shook his head, standing up and throwing the cloth in Allen's face.

"Cover your hand, and get back to the hospital room. Your shirt should be long enough to cover it, and try to avoid having Link see. Since it's bound to happen, tell him – or anyone who asks – that you had an accident and you took care of it yourself. Someone is bound to see the mirror, but hopefully no one will place two and two together. Don't hold your breath, but that's as far as we can go with this whole mess."

Allen nodded, standing up as Timcanpy landed on his hair. The world twisted and spun for a few seconds before he regained his balance.

"Thanks, Kanda."

"Tch, just go."

Allen smiled slightly, walking out of the room with little difficulty. When he reached the hallway, the cold from earlier assaulted him, and he could have sworn that the temperature had dropped considerably since before he had gone in the bathroom, the biting climate harassing him. He tightened the dark sweater, walking back to the hospital room. After passing through multiple corridors, he finally reached his destination, opening the door slowly in case someone was in front of it. He was relieved when he didn't meet anything solid, but he spotted Link sitting in the chair in the corner, reading his clipboard with fake interest. The blonde man looked up, raising his eyebrows when he spotted Allen.

"Ah, there you are, Mr. Walker. Stomach problems?"

Allen felt the blood rush to his face, spluttering at the assumption.

"N-No! I mean, yes? Er…"

Link narrowed his eyes, shaking his head.

"I hope you enjoyed the slight piece of freedom. I'm afraid I won't be granting anymore leeway from now on; we're both under strict orders, and mine are to document your every move."

Allen nodded, subconsciously pulling his sleeve tighter over his injured hand. He smiled convincingly, climbing under the sheets in the bed and pulling them up his chin. It felt weird, he realized, having Link watching him once again – he had gone for so long without his constant shadow. It didn't take long for the feeling to disperse, and Allen mumbled a quick goodnight before he succumbed to the fatigue that racked his body.

Link said nothing as his pen scribbled something onto the piece of parchment.

iv.

"Wakeeeeee up! Allen, wake – "

"Lavi, for God's sake, leave him be!"

"I agree with Ms. Lee."

"Jeez, Link!"

Allen kept his eyes closed, but he felt the corners of his lips turn upwards slightly, his friends' voices seeping through his hazed mind. He had the familiar dream of blackness while he had been sleeping, but the remnants of the alter-reality faded quickly, leaving him coherent and alert. Lavi sounded extremely happy, while Lenalee's tone was reprimanding, disciplining Lavi for his lack of common sense. Link was monotone as usual, but Allen smiled none-the-less, the lack of his friends dispersing as he heard their voice.

"I thought you guys were on an assignment?" Allen asked, opening his eyes slightly. Lavi cheered, rubbing Allen's head quickly as the younger exorcist attempted to push him away, a slight wave of pain washing over his injured head.

"You're awake! Good. We have some good news – "

"_Lavi,_" Lenalee said sternly, pulling him backwards. Allen noticed she looked slightly anxious, more so then usual. "He just woke up! Let him become alert first."

Allen laughed, suddenly feeling ill. He attempted to ignore it, looking at Lavi.

"What's the good news? And welcome back," Allen said, Lenalee sitting on the edge of the bed as he sat up.

"We're going to get Krory back today! And Chaoji, too. Leverrier moved the day up to today since we were back earlier."

Allen blinked, taking in the information. Lavi didn't look to impressed wit the situation, despite the excited tone in his voice. Lenalee wasn't looking at anyone as she sat on the edge, her hand wrinkling the blanket slightly as she clenched her fist. Allen narrowed his eyes, seeming to miss something. Before he could ask, Lavi started chuckling nervously, rubbing the back of his head and messing up his red hair. Allen noted that he wasn't wearing his headband, and he looked worn out and tired. A red scrape decorated the side of his face, and there was a clean bandage sneaking in behind his sleeve. Allen sighed, not surprised that they had been injured on their mission; the thought made bile rise up in his throat, and he choked slightly as he tried to hold it down.

"Allen? You okay?"

He nodded, pushing away the comforter and swinging his legs over the bed as he attempted to stand up. Lavi stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder, a worried look in his eye.

"Woah, where are you going?"

"To pack. When are we leaving?"

Lavi and Lenalee looked at each other, confusion evidently passing between them. Allen had a sick feeling that they weren't informed he'd be joining the assignment.

"You're not going…"

Allen shrugged, his fears confirmed.

"Leverrier informed me yesterday that I'd be going as well, along with you two and Kanda."

"You can't be serious," Lenalee said, standing up. An angry look appeared on her features, disbelief clear as she went and stood beside Lavi. "You're injured – he can't seriously expect you to go on this mission."

"I'm afraid he's not lying," Link said, not taking his eyes off his clipboard. He was writing something down, and Allen was becoming frustrated for some reason. "We shall accompany you, despite Walker's injuries. There's no use in arguing."

Allen smiled up at Lavi and Lenalee, assuring them he was fine. His chest wasn't in as much pain as it had been before he fell asleep; instead, his injured hand was stinging, and he had the urge to look at the skin around the makeshift bandage to see if it was inflamed or not. He couldn't do it while the others in the room, so he made a note to find a way to escape from Link's view when he could get the chance. Lavi's voice interrupted his thoughts, the bookman sounding annoyed and greatly stressed.

"This is borderline sadistic! How the hell does he expect you to fight when you're injured? Especially when we're going to confront the Noah! Seriously – "

"Lavi," Allen said, not keen on the idea of Link informing Leverrier about what could possibly be considered treachery against Central. He may have been overreacting, but Allen wasn't taking any chances. "It's fine. I want to go, anyways. But both Komui and Leverrier were skimp with the information – where exactly are we going?"

Lenalee sighed.

"We were told, by Tyki, to meet them in London. I'm not sure if it was coincidence; the fact that they chose the very place the Order is. However, the actual location in the city is far, far from here. It's quite remote, actually – "

"Moyashi, Komui wants you in his office."

Allen looked over at the door, Kanda leaning against the doorframe looking impatient and disturbed. Allen figured he was in the middle of doing something – meditating, probably – when he was interrupted, obviously forced to give the younger exorcist a message. Allen nodded, standing up and smiling at his friends once again.

"When are we leaving?"

"In three hours," Lavi said, still not impressed. Allen nodded, watching as Kanda left, looking disgruntled. He shrugged before making his way out of the room, not surprised when Link followed him. Lavi and Lenalee headed for the door, and the four parted ways as Lavi and Lenalee waved a goodbye and headed to the cafeteria, leaving Allen and his shadow alone.

"Link, can I ask you something?"

The blonde man seemed surprised, but nodded nonetheless.

"Is there something everyone is hiding? I mean, about the assignment. It seems like – "

"Before you continue," the Inspector said, placing the pen in the metal of the clipboard. "You can stop hiding your hand. I realized when you walked in last night that you had done something. Care to explain?"

Allen felt the blood drain from his face as he looked away, his stomach doing flips as he struggled to repeat what Kanda told him. If he told Link about the actual incident, he'd report to Leverrier and Allen would be… well, screwed, to say the least.

'_Since it's bound to happen, tell him – or anyone who asks – that you had an accident and you took care of it yourself.'_

"Uh… I tripped, and cut my hand up when I went across the floor. I took care of it myself, though, as to not worry anyone else."

"…You tripped? Again? Was that not your excuse for your injured mouth – which, by the way, is now sporting a lovely bruise? Either you're lying, or you're far too clumsy for your own health."

Allen shrugged, attempting to drop the subject as he brought up his earlier question.

"Back to the – "

"Yes, yes, the assignment. No one is hiding anything, or withholding information, as far as I know. You may ask Chief Komui if the thought still plagues your mind."

Allen nodded, not believed the inspector, but not in any mood to argue the point. The rest of the walk passed in silence until they reached Komui's office, and Allen heard talking from within the closed room.

"It's finished, here you go!"

"Thanks. Any problems?"

_Kanda must be getting Mugen back._

"Not with your Innocence, no. But Kanda – the burn on your arm, has it healed?"

There was silence for a few minutes before Kanda's rough voice flowed into Allen's hearing.

"Mostly. There's still a bit of the injury left – "

"Kanda, it's been almost a week – "

"I realize that. I'm still regenerating, so there's nothing to worry about – "

"Nothing to worry about?" Allen heard the disbelief in Komui's voice, and the sick feeling returned to his gut. "You're healing slower, and you had your Innocence broken! This isn't like you, Kanda. Ever since the Ark. What happened then?"

"I told you before," Kanda snapped, causing Allen to visibly flinch. Link seemed to find the situation awkward, standing beside Allen and debating whether or not to knock on the door to alert the occupants of the room to their presence. "It's nothing to be concerned about."

"I told you before. Do not miscalculate."

Kanda was silent, and Allen was becoming suspicious. The samurai hadn't informed anyone of his battle with Skinn, the Noah of Wrath, from the time on the Ark. It had been exorcist vs. Noah, and Kanda was adamant on keeping the fierce battle to himself. The fact that there was a tattoo clear on Kanda's chest just cut his suspicion deeper.

"Anyways," Komui sighed, and Allen imagined him waving his hand, showing that the conversation would clearly resume at a later time. "The five of you are leaving in a few hours. Pack a tuxedo, as well. I'll inform you later of why."

Allen heard footsteps before the door swung open. Kanda caught a glance at the two standing beside the door, and he glared at Allen without saying anything, continuing down the hall that no doubt lead to his room. Allen sighed, walking through the open door and hearing Link shut it behind him.

"Ah, Allen, perfect timing. Take a seat."

Allen did what he was told, sitting down on the usual sofa that resided in the paper-covered office. Komui smiled warmly, holding up a kettle.

"Would you two care for some tea?"

Link stated a clear 'no, thank-you,' but Allen nodded, eager for something warm to soothe his throat. Komui smiled and poured the hot liquid into a teacup, passing it to Allen as the steam rose up. Allen nodded his thanks, sipping the flavored tea happily.

"All right, Allen. You know you'll be going later today, correct?"

"Yes."

"I'm warning you now," Komui said, his voice suddenly serious. "Take it easy. Don't push yourself, all right? Despite your strength, we have no idea how many Noah are actually going to be present, but we're assuming all – well, all you've encountered thus far. And please listen to what Lavi or Kanda has to say, for they've already been informed of this:

"Since Tyki stated the trade off was you for Krory and Chaoji, and we are not trading exorcists, we're going to trick them. It's a rough plan, but it should work. They'll infiltrate after you've done your part, all right? You shouldn't be up against any Noah."

"Komui, if I may," Allen said, looking straight at the chief in front of him. "It may not seem as if I'm in any condition to fight, but I'm quite well off despite my injuries. Please allow me to participate in this mission fully – I want to retrieve our lost comrades. Besides, if it's me Tyki wants, it's me he's going to want to fight."

"But Allen – "

"I won't be doing my duty as an exorcist if I back down from this."

Komui was quiet, assessing the boy in front of him. He looked as if he wanted to disagree, but he knew Allen was stubborn, and no matter what he said or how hard he warned the exorcist, the cursed boy would fight with all he had.

"…All right, I shall inform the others. However, if the situation becomes dire, you all need to get out. Don't take the risk of losing all your lives, when we have a back up plan that you will be aware of if the need arises. Understood?"

Allen nodded, sipping his tea. He had made sure to accept and drink it with his Innocence, avoiding Komui's peering eyes when he had almost used his injured hand.

"That's all. Oh! And pack a tuxedo. I'll inform you when the time comes."

Allen smiled, standing up and placing the teacup on Komui's desk. The latter smiled back, signaling that the young exorcist was dismissed.

"Link, may I speak to you for a moment?" Komui asked before Allen reached the door, and the white haired boy peered behind him, Link looking taken aback.

"Walker, wait outside, alright?"

Allen nodded, opening the door and shutting it quickly. He didn't feel right about eavesdropping, but standing by the door and overhearing the conversation by accident was different.

"Sorry to call you by surprise, but may I ask you for a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Keep an eye on Allen. I realize you don't have a choice, but what I mean is protect him. He's bound to dive into the heat of battle, as he as done before."

"I understand," Link said. Allen leaned against the wall, not sure what to make of the conversation. Komui sounded almost… desperate, and Allen _knew_ they were hiding something.

"Thank you. You're free to go now."

The door to Komui's office, and Allen jumped back slightly.

"Ready?"

Allen nodded, quiet as they made their way down the darkened hallways and twisting corridors. It had been a while before Allen visited his room in the Order; this was evident as Link paused and waited for Allen, the latter walking straight instead of making the necessary turn.

"…Walker, wrong way."

Allen stopped walking, looking behind him and spotting Link waiting patiently, the light from a nearby window highlighting the area.

"Oops…" Allen laughed nervously, taking the lead in front of Link and walking down the hallway. When he came to the window, he paused, looking outside and seeing the light of day for the first time in more then a month. It wasn't very light, he realized – there was a heavy rain outside, pounding the window and soaking the glass quickly, the droplets of rain clear and quick. Before he could look away, the glass refocused and he spotted his reflection; his heart began to beat too fast, and he looked away, the black and white mixing with the water.

"We don't have all day, Allen. Come on."

Said boy blinked, not used to Link calling him by his first name; it wasn't often. He nodded anyways, his voice caught in his throat.

He hadn't missed the almost soft tone of Link's voice, either.

iv.

"Bean sprout, are you ready?"

"It's Allen, Rabbit! Almost! Just got to – " _grunt_ " – get this in!"

"Did you just call me Rabbit? You've been hanging out with Yu too much, Allen!"

Allen ignored the comment as he shoved a final time, effectively closing the over packed suitcase that sat on his bed. When he was finally able to get the clasp shut, he smiled triumphantly, standing straight as he did up the black and red uniform. He fixed the golden chain that hung in his front pocket before putting his white gloves on, ignoring the protest he received from his injured hand. The white effectively hid his black Innocence, and he instinctively flexed his hand, remembering when it had once been a wrinkled, deep red color.

_That seems so long ago._

When he was satisfied, he threw on the new coat that was placed on his bed before he arrived; the black coat was like a coat on a suit, except heavier for the late fall, early winter weather that the area was currently experiencing. He did up the silver buttons, the shiny color and smooth feel reminding him of the original uniform he wore when he first joined the Order. Sighing, the melancholy feel of the room striking him, he grabbed the handle of his suitcase, pulling it off his bed as Link waited patiently at his door with Lavi. The latter was dressed in the standard uniform, with a red scarf for personal touch. He wasn't wearing his headband, and Allen realized that was twice in a row he had seen the redhead without his usual accessory. Link was dressed as he usually was, his blonde hair tied in a ponytail at the base of his neck instead of a braid like it usually was.

"What's got you thinkin' so hard, bean sprout?"

"It's _Allen,_ Lavi!"

Lavi laughed, shutting Allen's door as the three of them made their way down the hall, Timcanpy resting on Allen's head. The golem had been unusually calm, and Allen figured it had something to do with him breaking the mirror; however, the communication device couldn't very well talk, and Allen was left wondering what had gotten Tim so solemn. He lifted up his hand, petting the golden creature on his head, it's wings flying out in response. Allen laughed as Tim's tail tickled his nose.

Lavi just stared at him.

"You're a weird child, you know that?"

Allen just laughed, but it was cut short when he saw Leverrier come down the hallway, a stern look on his face that caused Allen's mind to be on high alert.

"Ah, Mr. Walker, I was looking for you. Before you leave for your assignment, you are to report to the Head Nurse so she can remove the bandages on your head. Be quick; in the infirmary."

Leverrier continued on walked, completely bypassing the trio, after he had made his announcement to Allen. Said boy stared after him for a few seconds before sighing, a new destination set before they could leave for their mission. Lavi groaned, impatient and angry.

"Why the hell are you getting your bandages removed?"

"It's all right, Lavi," Allen said, smiling. "My wounds aren't that bad, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Lavi didn't look convinced, but he nodded anyways. They continued making their way to the infirmary, Allen and Lavi keeping a conversation going with Link intervening every so often. When they reached the hallway that lead to the hospital, Allen spotted the short nurse waiting outside, her arms crossed and her foot tapping consistently. He waved slowly, a nervous look on his face at the glare he received from the medic professional.

"There you are, Mr. Walker! I can't believe they're having you sent out already! If I had my way, you'd still be in bed sleeping. Anyways, come on, come on, we don't have all day!"

Allen stood patiently as the Nurse brought the scissors to the white bandages on his forehead, cutting them with practiced precision. The cool air assaulted him immediately, the few cuts on his head stinging and slightly itchy. The nurse yanked on the white material, pulling out some of his hair in the process as he yelped painfully. He rubbed his head once the material was gone, his head feeling freer then it had for a while. The nurse handed him a pocket mirror, directing him to look at the un-bandaged cuts.

"See that?" she asked, and Allen nodded. The skin on the right side of his forehead was red and tender, and a long, thick cut went from the edge of his hairline and travelled downwards to just over his eyebrow. The pentacle on his forehead stood out clear on his pale face, and there were a few small scrapes that decorated the area around the cursed scar. He could feel small cuts all around his head from where the bandages had covered, due to the bark that had entered when he was thrown against a tree in the fogged forest.

_I wonder whatever happened to the family? I'll have to ask Komui when we return._

"Mr. Walker, please pay attention! These wounds have not yet healed, and it looks as if the large one is still infected! Please avoid worsening them – or any of your injuries for that matter!"

Allen quickly nodded his head, inching back slightly as he placed the mirror into her outstretched hand.

"Take it easy, Mr. Walker," she said as she pocketed the reflective surface and returned to the infirmary. Allen let out a breath of relief, turning to Link and Lavi, both standing behind him; Lavi looked like he was trying not to grimace.

"Allen, you got beat up pretty bad, didn't you?"

He shrugged, signaling for the two to follow him.

"I'm fine, though. I've suffered through worse – at least this time, my heart was intact."

He had tried to put some humor in the serious conversation, and Lavi barely bought it, not wanting to push on the subject; what had happened was still a touchy topic for the exorcists to talk about, but it wasn't the last time one of them had came close to death. They walked the rest of the way in silence, the trip passing quickly.

"Ah, there you guys are!" Lenalee called, waiting beside the door that lead to the tunnel outside. She was smiling, though she looked a bit nervous; Allen couldn't blame her, for the upcoming mission would most likely test their strength. He noted that she was wearing her usual uniform of a skirt and uniform jacket, but a long overcoat flowed down to her ankles, which were decorated with the anklets that disguised her Innocence.

"Hurry! Brother is waiting; we're leaving now."

Allen nodded, and the three picked up their pace as they made their way into the small, water filled area. Kanda was leaning casually against the wall, his eyes closed; he looked at ease, though his body said otherwise. He was in the usual uniform as well, his hair up in a high ponytail. He opened his eyes when the door was closed, and Allen looked away, not keen on getting glared at. Komui stood with Reever, the latter quiet.

"All right, are you five ready to go?" Komui asked.

There was a collection of nods and mumbled yes's, and Allen felt the corners of his mouth twitch upward, anticipating the rescue mission.

"Excellent. Take it easy, and good luck."

"You can do it, guys! Be careful," Reever said, a smile on his face as he stood still.

There was a single boat beside the river that would lead them into the actual city, the train station only a five minute walk that would get them to the remote area they needed to be. A mix of worry and nervousness twisted around in Allen's gut, but he held back the urge to gag as he climbed after Lavi, the five of them fitting into the long, wooden boat. The water caused the small device to shake slightly, and Allen hung onto the edge while a Finder began rowing. He looked behind him as they set off, Reever looking nervous as he waved, and Komui blending in with the distance; said man was waving vigorously, but his expression screamed worry. Allen waved back, smiling as he attempted to reassure the chief. Lenalee was smiling as well, waving less enthusiastically compared to her brother. Lavi was leaning over the boat, enjoying the spray of water; Kanda was sitting beside Allen – albeit reluctantly – and was quiet as he watched the Order fade and the city become clearer, the fifteen minute trip feeling far too long. Allen turned back around when Komui and Reever disappeared, their facial expressions etched into his mind as they started their journey.

_We'll come back… We have too._


	18. Chapter 18

I've been so eager to get to the next part of the story. This chapter gave me a bit of a hassle, and I kept thinking of lines that the characters could say, but then I remembered I have to get there first… Anyways, if that made sense, maybe I'm not going crazy! Here's chapter eighteen – which was, once again, a _hassle!_ – and I hope it's satisfactory. A bit shorter, but the next few chapters will be much longer. Next chapter, we get into the action with the Noah! I've already started, and my hands are beginning to get tired of typing. With regards to this chapter, I'm not one hundred percent sure if Road has the ability to create illusions, but I'm assuming from her other powers, she'd have the ability to create some kind of illusionary place. I know the twins can, but that's under certain circumstances. So, for the sake of this chapter, she can, though minimally. Next chapter will be much better. Thanks to all who reviewed and such, and enjoy this chapter! Drop a line on your way out?

* * *

18.

[the beginning of the end]

"_I still have the injuries, so what was the point in that?"_

_

* * *

_i.

"It's a damn conspiracy, Komui! You know it!"

"Please calm yourself, Bak."

Komui sighed as he rubbed his eyes, his chair suddenly uncomfortable and the room suffocating. The head of the Asian Branch stood in front of Komui's desk, the wooden piece of furniture covered with scattered papers that remained unsigned, and various pens littered the cluttered desk. The blonde man huffed angrily, pacing back and forth in the large room as he tried to straighten out his thoughts. He couldn't believe that they had sent out Allen on a mission that involved the Noah, and once he had been informed, Bak had reacted furiously, immediately finding himself at the North American Branch. Komui looked tired and ridden with stress – as did all of the Science Division, Bak noticed. Although his division was working ridiculously hard as well, he had never seen such a tense restriction on the members of the Order. Even Fou had something to say in the matter – despite its negativity, Bak had to agree with the deity that it was a large mistake to send out an injured exorcist on a mission that had a strong chance of killing said exorcist. Whether it be mentally or physically, Bak didn't care to elaborate on the thought.

Either way, his distrust for Central – Leverrier in particular – had grown to a large amount.

"Komui, he's going to _die_ out there! I talked to the nurse, and even she was adamant about not letting him go! What's Central plotting? Are they _trying_ to kill him?"

"You know, Bak," Komui started, standing up and placing his hands on his desk to steady himself. Normally, he'd enjoy being in the company of one of his comrades, but the situation was dire and demanded no pleasure. "I'm not disagreeing with you. I tried to dissuade Leverrier, but obviously, it didn't work. Why do you think he'd want Allen out of the picture? Think about it."

Bak's eyes widened as he stopped pacing, turning to stare at the dark haired man.

"The Fourteenth…"

Komui nodded, his gaze not wavering as he met Bak's eyes.

"Maybe it is a conspiracy. Or maybe Leverrier has ulterior motives we don't know – but either way, Allen's in trouble. I did all I could to make sure he'd be safe – "

"Like what?"

Komui sighed, waving his hand as he signalled Bak to take a seat. The latter hesitated for a few minutes before sitting down on the large sofa, crossing his arms as he waited for Komui to speak. The Chinese man took his own seat, shuffling some papers around before folding his hands on his desk.

"Inspector Link is going to keep a close eye on him – not the type of watching he was doing before, but instead, protection – "

"How did you manage to do that?" Bak asked, confusion layering his voice, mixed with disbelief.

"Easy," Komui said, smiling slightly. "I didn't have to say it, but it's well known that Allen could potentially hold the Heart. If he does, Link isn't going to let it fall into the Earl's hands, correct? I don't think Leverrier thought about that."

Bak scoffed, clearly agreeing. If Allen did hold the Heart, and if he was fighting while in a weakened state, there was a good chance that his Innocence could be destroyed once again; although it wasn't definite, nor talked about, there was a chance that Allen held the ultimate Innocence. Any exorcist that was currently fighting could hold it and the fact that Leverrier was sending an injured boy out to fight was beyond suspicious.

"And," Komui started, cutting off Bak's thoughts. "Lenalee, Kanda, and Lavi are on the assignment as well. We can only hope that they'll be all right."

Bak nodded, looking away as he rubbed his chin in thought.

_It's still not right. Something is wrong here – why was Allen sent out? Was it a direct order from Central, or was it done under secrecy? I'm going to find out._

ii.

"Seriously, shut up. You're pissing me off."

"I'm not doin' anything, Yu! You're the one that's crankier then usual…"

"_Shut up, you stupid rabbit and don't call me that!_"

Allen sighed, rubbing his temples as the loud voices assaulted his hearing. It had only been an hour since they boarded the train, and the large cabin was spacey enough to have the five of them split up equally. Allen had taken the window, eager to be able to watch the passing scenery outside as the world rushed past them. Lavi had taken a seat beside him, and Kanda had taken the seat opposite of Allen, Lenalee accompanying him. Link had sat beside the female exorcist, his clipboard still out as he documented Allen's movement. A finder was seated with them as well, but he had disappeared to find some food for the hungry, cursed boy. After fifteen minutes of being in each other's company, Lavi had decided it'd be fun to torment the stoic samurai, and Allen knew it'd be all downhill from there.

"Aw, come on, Yu. No need to raise your voice, you're giving Allen a headache!"

Allen growled as he pushed Lavi's hand away, the constant pain intensifying when Kanda replied.

"Me? You're the one who fucking started this – "

"I started nothing. I was just trying to start a very _civilized_ conversation, but – "

"_Civilized? _You were implying that I was of the female gender, you fucking rabbit!"

"…It's possible…"

"You – "

"_Both of you,_" Allen interrupted, peeling his eyes away from the window to glare at the two exorcists, both of them staring at the younger boy as if he had grown another head. "Quiet. Please. For the love of God, just be _quiet._"

Lavi looked at Kanda, the latter narrowing his eyes before looking away. Lenalee sighed, her hands twisting in her lap as worry clouded her mind; Allen didn't blame her, the mission ahead setting all of them on edge. The migraine that had affected him more then once had decided to return, and though sleep sounded nice, anxiousness and worry racked his body and set his mind on high alert, warding off any form of unconsciousness. It didn't help that his chest was beginning to ache, and his eyes felt like lead as they forced themselves open. His injured hand was taken over by Timcanpy, the golden golem seeming content as it laid in the boy's palm, the white bandages scraping his skin and causing a shockwave of pain to course through his arm. Allen sighed as he looked out the window, the large, white moon high above, highlighting the edge of the clouds a clear white. Yellow stars shone behind the puffs of mist, and the scenery outside was cast in a shimmering glow as the train sped by. The trip was still another hour, and Allen was looking forward to the warm bed that would greet him when they reached the hotel they were staying in. He figured he wasn't going to get a large amount of sleep due to the next day's events, but the idea of resting settled contently in his weary mind.

"Bean sprout…"

_I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow. The last time we had an encounter with the Noah, it was on the Ark. _

"Yo, Allen!"

Said boy didn't respond, not hearing his name being called as continuous thoughts ran through his mind. A quick knock on his head caused the thoughts to disperse for a moment, his attention focused on the newfound pain.

"What the – Lavi, what was that for?" Allen asked, tired of his head being the source for various hits from his two comrades; thankfully, Lenalee restrained from violence most of the time.

"Allen, what's up with you tonight? You're not paying attention at all!"

"…What?"

Lavi dropped his head into his hands, sighing loudly as his red hair covered the majority of his face. Allen stared on, not sure what to say to the bookman in training; Kanda rolled his eyes, not responding to the antics of the two younger exorcists. Lenalee laughed slightly, almost amused at Allen's dumbfounded expression; the latter just shrugged.

_I feel sick again…_

Lifting his hand to scratch at his forehead, Allen silently sighed, the familiar thoughts repeating once again. However, Lavi caught him in time, slapping the exorcist's hand away before it could touch the wound. Allen blinked before catching on, groaning as he let his head fall backwards and hit the back of the red cushioned seat. It was bad enough that he could barely focus on anything that was going on in the cabin, let alone realize what his actions would entail; if he had actually scratched, it would have opened up the cut that graced his skin. His chest was aching, and his stomach was twisting enough that Allen swore it promised to empty its contents soon. That particular motion didn't appeal to him, and he could feel his gut wrenching even more, his body too hot for the stuffy air in the cabin.

"All right, Allen. What's wrong? You're pale and you look as if you're going to be sick."

Allen chuckled – or tried too – before closing his eyes, willing himself to rid his body of whatever was plaguing it. The cabin was silent for a few minutes before the door opened, revealing a random passenger. Allen opened his left eye, expecting to see a finder. He wasn't prepared for his eye to go off, detecting the demon a split second before it attacked. Allen grabbed his wrist in blind panic, activating his Innocence and feeling the grip of the Sword of Exorcism; he destroyed the level two before one of his companions could even process what had happened. The loud explosion sounded in the compacted area, and Allen deactivated his Innocence, his head pounding worse then it had beforehand. He thought he might have vomited right there, but he managed to hold down whatever was trying to leave his stomach before he settled with resting the side of his face on the cool glass.

"…What just happened?" Lavi asked, blinking in confusion at the mass of machinery on the velvet floor.

"I think moyashi just destroyed a demon."

Normally, Allen would have responded with his usual retort of correcting Kanda with his actual name, but his head was pulsing so bad that he could barely process a thought at all. He had destroyed the akuma without a second glance, and he wasn't even sure how he had managed to get up so fast without stumbling from the lack of balance. Lavi seemed to realize this before placing a hand on Allen's burning forehead, careful not to touch the cut that dawned there. Allen shivered at the cold touch, the sound of the rain hitting the window the only sound he could hear.

"…burning up, I think he's sick."

"It's not the first time; it'll pass."

_Am I losing control again?_

Allen opened his eyes slowly, the ill feeling starting to dissipate as fast as it had come. The young exorcist still had a migraine, but the room and the occupants were becoming clearer as Lavi and Kanda's voices drifted into his hearing. Someone was standing in front of him, and as he looked down slightly, he found Lenalee looking at him intensely.

"Allen?"

Allen smiled, reassuring the female exorcist that he was okay. Lenalee didn't seem convinced, but she reclaimed her seat anyways, glancing at Link from the corner of her eyes. Allen breathed a sigh of relief for the returned space, rubbing his eyes to try and clear the rest of his mind from the ill haze that had settled itself. Timcanpy made a bed out of the nest of white hair once again, not pleased on having lost its comfortable spot on Allen's hand. Allen lifted his hand and petted the golden golem, not realizing what hand he had used.

"Allen, why is your hand bandaged?"

"Tripped," was the first word that came to Allen's mind as he responded to Lenalee's question, the lie easily repeated much to Allen's dismay. Neither Lenalee nor Lavi looked convinced, but Allen just shook off their worry, averting his gaze to the stoic samurai who refused to return the eye contact. Allen shrugged, returning his gaze to the outside world as he had done when the trip first started. He figured there was still a half an hour before they reached the next station, and the prospect of being able to relax once more before the mission ahead rested contentedly in Allen's mind.

_Tomorrow, we get Krory back._

iii.

The hotel was small and quant, Allen noted.

The walls were lit dimly by a few candles hanging on the wall, the dull flames only creating enough light to reach the edge of the hallway. The building itself was small; much smaller then the hotel's they usually stayed at on assignments. Despite the burgundy walls and the cold, stone floor, Allen felt the place was kind of homey, and their room was comfortable. Allen and Link were staying in one room, while Kanda and Lavi would take a second one, leaving Lenalee to her privacy in the last room that was booked for the exorcists. Allen didn't mind the set up, and he had eagerly accepted the bed that was resting beside the wall. After bidding a good night to the others – and finalizing plans to wake up at seven in the morning so they could start their mission – Allen had quickly changed into a set of training pants and a comfortable, white shirt, climbing under the fleece comforter and accepting the warmth it provided from the chilly air emanating from the walls. A single window was in the room, the large moon shining some light into the darkened area and providing Allen and Link with some form of illumination. Allen said a quick goodnight to his observer before losing himself in the warmth, not expecting sleep, but knowing he wasn't completely coherent, either.

_I wonder what the battle stage will be this time. Last time, our time was limited on the Ark… _

Allen sighed as he rolled over, facing the wall and touching the cool stone. He still had a constant migraine, but the pounding had subsided, leaving a dull ache to take its place. Allen had drowned it out after a while, growing used to the pain that racked his body constantly.

_Bang._

Allen quickly sat up, grabbing his head when a dizzy spell assaulted him. Link was looking at him, confusion in his expression.

"What was that?" Allen asked, pushing down the comforter and swinging his legs over the bed. He walked over to the window, looking outside as he tried to find the source of the bang.

"What was what, Walker?"

Allen gripped the windowsill, the memory of him and Kanda in the training room immediately playing in his mind.

"_What was that?"_

"_What was what?"_

It was too familiar, he realized, and the bang had sounded suspiciously like a gunshot. He couldn't figure out where the noise had come from – or why he was the only one who could hear it – and so he settled with dropping the subject, not keen on Link reporting that he was hearing things.

"Nothing. I thought I heard something."

Allen averted his gaze from the peering eyes of his inspector, climbing back under the sheets and closing his eyes, feigning sleep as Link did the same. When the room had gone quiet, effectively convincing Allen that the other occupant of the room had fallen asleep once again, the young exorcist rolled onto his back, placing his hands behind his head as he pondered what had just happened. Timcanpy sensed his discomfort, laying on the white pillow as it tried to comfort it's master. Allen smiled a small grin, but it didn't reach his eyes, becoming another smile that tried to convince Allen he was all right. Before he could stop himself, he closed his eyes, sleep overtaking him unexpectedly, Link's breathing the only sound he could hear.

iv.

"Allen, wake up."

"Nngh…"

"Allen, wake up, please? C'mon, Yu's getting angry."

Allen blearily opened his eyes, confusion clouding his vision as Lavi's voice woke him from sleep. The red head was already dressed in his uniform, and Link was standing beside him, an odd look on his face as he waited for Allen to get out of bed. The latter realized it was morning, and he quickly sat up, pushing the blankets away and grabbing his uniform to go and change. Lavi waited, placing his hands behind his head in his usual stance. Once Allen had finished changing, he grabbed his coat, throwing it on before smiling at the elder exorcist.

"Good morning, Allen! 'Bout time you woke up. Oh! And Komui reached us a few minutes ago; he said Leverrier wanted no proof that you were injured while on this mission."

Before Allen could even respond, Lavi reached over, ripping off the white bandage that dawned his cheek, the wound from the Tease stinging from the cool air.

"I still have the injuries, so what was the point in that?" Allen asked as he rubbed the skin around the cut; he could only imagine what the wound looked like. Lavi shrugged, not knowing the answer to the question either – or not saying it – before heading for the door, waiting for the younger exorcist and his shadow to follow. Allen followed suit, Timcanpy sitting on Allen's shoulder as they made their way out of the small hotel, spotting Kanda and Lenalee waiting.

"Took you long enough, moyashi."

"Sorry, overslept," Allen responded, smiling nervously at the death glare he was receiving.

"Che, let's just go and get this over with."

Allen nodded, a thought occurring to him.

"Did Tyki actually say exactly where to meet?"

Lenalee shook her head, frowning slightly at the question.

"Tyki said we'll know when we'll see it. He told us the general direction to head in."

Allen sighed, the lack of information beginning to frustrate him more so then usual. The area they were in was covered with a thin layer of white snow, and the sky above was gray as a few white flakes fell very so often. There was a simple path laid out that lead into small set of houses, and it seemed to continue along out into the open. Though the area was remote, the houses seemed financially extravagant, the buildings large and well decorated. As they continued along the winding path, Allen could've sworn he spotted a Tease following them, the black butterfly blending in with the shadows that the few trees created. Despite the many houses, Allen noted that few people actually lived there – either that or everyone was hiding. The trip was silent as the five of them made their way to mysterious destination, and as they got closer and closer to the end of the path, the dark aura and the feeling of foreshadow began to taunt Allen's mind. He found it odd that they hadn't been attacked by any akuma since the one on the train, and that had only been a level two – normally, they would have encountered a few level three, and quite possibly, a level four. However, as they began to reach the end, no akuma had attacked, and Allen couldn't detect any. He felt as if he was being watched from the blackness, but quickly dismissed the thought as paranoia, the thought of being watched making him anxious. The farther along they got on the path, more trees began lining the edge of the walkway, and soon enough, they were in a forest like area. The path seemed to end in the middle of the flurry of trees, and Allen noticed that the forest looked similar to that of the fogged forest that he had encountered only a month prior.

"Now what? The path ended," Lavi asked, taking a few steps ahead of the paused Kanda. The latter unsheathed Mugen, anticipating an attack of some sort. Allen realized why – though the path had ended, the shadows were moving, and Allen knew they were being watched at that point. A sick cackle echoed from above, and Allen recognized it as one of the twins.

"Hello, exorcists!"

Allen backed up, grabbing his wrist and activating his Innocence, the white cowl sitting comfortably amongst his shoulders.

"They're here," Lavi said, his Hammer enlarged as he poised for attack. Allen glared, waiting for one of the Noah to show themselves.

"Where are Krory and Chaoji?" Lenalee asked, her boots activated.

"Don't you want to play, first? It's been a while, hasn't it, exorcists?"

Devitto appeared, dropping down from one of the trees as he smiled welcomingly. He was wearing a white vest, and wasn't wearing nearly as much make up as he had been since the last time Allen had seen the Noah. Jasdero appeared moments later, giggling as he took up a spot extremely close to his brother. His hair was longer, and he had eased up on the make up as well. The new appearances startled Allen, but he refocused his attention.

"Now, now, Allen," a voice came from behind him, and Allen didn't have to turn around to realize who was speaking. "So eager to die? The twins are right, let's play."

Allen glared, not bothering to turn his position, and he ended up glaring at Devitto.

"Hey, it's Tyki that's talking now, not me," Devitto said, toying with his gun as he pondered whether or not to shoot. Allen looked around, and he noticed that Kanda was facing the twins as well, while Lenalee and Lavi were staring at Tyki. Link was caught in between both sides, an expressionless mask his only look.

"Allleeen!"

Said boy's eye twitched, the high pitched voice entering his hearing as he desperately tried to locate the eldest of the Noah. Road came out of the shadows, smiling at Allen with playful eyes, a simple white dress adorning her dark body. Allen sighed, lowering his head and warding off the migraine that decided to appear.

"Where's. Krory." Lavi enunciated, impatient and angry.

"I think this is a change of plans," Allen whispered to Link, who nodded his agreement. Kanda seemed to hear as well, for he glanced at Allen, and his expression clearly stated, _'don't do anything stupid.'_

"Now, now, I think talk time is over," Tyki said, walking forward as he summoned a Tease. "What are the teams this time? Allen, you'll be my opponent."

"That wasn't the deal, Tyki," Road said, still smiling. Though her words seemed to disagree with Tyki's new part of the plan, her facial expression and the tone of her voice screamed co-operation. "I think I'll take Lavi. Shall I attempt to break you again, bookman?"

Lavi narrowed his eyes, and Allen almost expected him to attack immediately. However, the red headed exorcist just smirked, hoisting his Innocence over his shoulder.

"If you tell us where you're holding our friends."

"They're safe," Tyki said, looking bored. "If you want to save them, you'll have to get past us first. Don't tell me you thought we'd play fair?"

"Tch," Kanda said, his Innocence splitting into two, the two pieces connected by a blue light. "If you want to fight, let's get this over with. I'm sick all the talking."

Allen had a bad feeling about what would happen next; the ground began to shake, and the trees disappeared as a familiar room took their place. The black and blue checkered room seemed to glow before it split into multiple parts, and Allen felt himself flying before covering himself with Crowned Clown; as he hit the wall, he landed in a heap on the cold floor. He groaned as he stood up, shocked when someone came sliding beside him. Link was as stoic as usual, but he looked flustered as well, not expecting the sudden change of location.

The five of them had been split up.

"Walker – "

"We'll be fighting Tyki. Be careful, Link," Allen said, interrupted the lecture he was sure to get about not being able to fight. Link seemed to want to say something more, but he settled for nodding his head instead, dropping whatever speech he was going to give. Allen smiled, reassuring his companion that they'd be fine. Tyki suddenly appeared through the walls, smiling as he held the Tease in his hand. His curled hair was tied back, some of it falling over his shoulder as he summoned more of the Tease.

"Let's play."


	19. Chapter 19

I'm pretty sure it was implied that Allen was not… the politest child when he first met Mana and joined the travelling clown, so I'm building on that notion. Also, Road's abilities are really confusing, but I'm going to say she can see people's memories; she is a pretty gifted Noah, yes? 'Sides, it could happen. She was able to read Lavi's memories during the Ark arc, so… Other then that, here's chapter nineteen, and the first battle! Next chapter will be Lenalee and Kanda vs. Devitto and Jasdero a.k.a. Jasdevi. Thanks to everyone who favorite, alerted, and reviewed! Drop a line on your way out?

* * *

19.

[lavi: unbreakable or broken? memories of a comrade]

"_What's Allen going to say when he found out you willingly watched his past?"_

_

* * *

_i.

"Ah, shit."

Lavi narrowed his good eye, the room too dark to spot anyone or anything in particular. He had realized when the ground collapsed that the five of them had been sent to different areas, and Lavi found himself alone in the small space with nothing but his breathing for company. He had seen Allen fly back before he disappeared, and he had seen Link get thrown in the same direction. Since it was only Tyki, the twins, and Road present, he came to the conclusion that Lenalee and Kanda were fighting the Noah of Bonds, while Allen and Link were left to deal with Tyki. Lavi was worried as to what the battle between the Pleasure Noah and the injured exorcist would turn out to be, but he knew that he had to focus on his own battle before he could help anyone. Since he had an experience with Road in the Ark, he expected something similar; being the Noah of Dreams, it was most likely Road would intrude on his mind, testing him on his willpower and strength to destroy the illusion that would plague him. Lavi held his breath as small vibrations sounded throughout the dark room, alerting him to the presence of the twisted Noah.

"Bookman, I'm surprised you agreed to this. I'd figure after our last encounter, you'd have second thoughts about taking on someone who can easily destroy your mind."

"Ha," Lavi laughed, lifting his Innocence as he waited for Road to appear. "I've beaten you once, I can beat you again."

It was Road's turn to laugh as she leaned against the wall, her hands behind her back as the lights started to illuminate the room. It was still dim, and Lavi had to squint to be able to see the blue haired girl.

"I toyed with_ your_ memories last time," Road said, staring idly at the ground as she shuffled her feet, a sick smile gracing her lips. "It won't be so easy this time around, Bookman."

Lavi glared, taking a few steps backwards to put a bit more distance in between them. He knew his Innocence would be useless once he entered the illusion – _remember, it's just an illusion – _but without it, he'd feel vulnerable.

"Is it just an illusion? What I'm going to show you is far from fake, dear Bookman. His past is far from illusionary."

Lavi blinked, not comprehending what Road was implying. The latter seemed to realize this, for she smiled wider, pushing herself off the wall as she quickly closed the distance in between her and the exorcist. Lavi dropped his Hammer, the black weapon reverting back to its original form and landing on the ground with an echoing _clang._ He backed up as she got closer and closer, but his outstretched hands met something hard and cold, his path blocked by the far wall as he remained trapped. Something was wrong, he knew – Road was having far too much fun with the current situation, and although Lavi knew she took sick pleasure from twisted activities, something screamed at him that it was a mistake to take her on alone.

"Now, now, I'm not going to hurt you – yet. Haven't you always been… _curious_, just a bit, to Allen's past? I know I have."

Lavi sucked in his breath, the words registering in his mind as he came up with a startling conclusion. Road laughed loudly, wrapping her arms around Lavi's waist, causing the red head to lift up his arms as something overtook his body.

"You can't lie to me," Road said, her voice filled with a sick happiness that caused a chill to travel down Lavi's spine. "I know you want to know, even if it is only the tiniest bit. But it's not because you want to record it, is it? You care about him. You see him as a younger brother, and you find it your duty to protect him, even though he's harboring your Order's enemy. I'm right, aren't I?"

Lavi didn't answer, his privacy feeling lost as Road invaded his thoughts, the Noah of Dreams speaking the truth that Lavi refused to admit.

"Another page in history, another person you'll forget. You can't do that, can you? Let's see what Allen went through before he joined you as an exorcist, shall we?"

"It's not right," Lavi choked out, partially incoherent due to his current state of mind. "It's not my business, it – "

Road let go before interrupting, creating the stage that Lavi would act on.

"It doesn't matter, does it? If you're a true Bookman, you'll do this for history's sake. Let's see if you can escape this."

Before Lavi could resist, he felt the familiar sensation he felt on the Ark, dropping to his knees as he entered the dream state world that would examine the true strength he had.

_I'm sorry, Allen._

ii.

It was dark, it was cold, and something wet was soaking into his feet uncomfortably, his shoes no match for the white snow that covered the ground. He closed his one eye, breathing in deeply before looking around at the unfamiliar city, the sky a dark blue that was littered with small yellow stars and a hidden half moon. A large amount of buildings and stores were lined up on the street, and a single boy sat alone on the gray concrete, his green jacket barely covering him as the fierce wind decided to try and rip it off. The boy shuffled lightly, pulling the checkered piece of clothing tighter around his slim body, his brown hair being decorated with white flakes. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew it was Allen's memory, he never would have guessed that the small boy was the white haired and scarred exorcist he knew. Lavi blinked a few times, not believing what he was seeing.

"That's Allen, when he was young. He's waiting for Mana, I do believe," Road said, coming up beside Lavi to stare in wonder at the small child. Lavi looked at the Noah before turning back, not sure why Road was showing him this particular memory. As much as he hated to admit it, a small part of him wanted to watch the memories, to see what Allen was like before joining the Black Order and signing his life away to destroy akuma. Road didn't let that pass as she linked her arm through Lavi's, dragging him forward to stand almost directly in front of the young Allen. The memory wavered slightly, Allen's body and the scenery around him blurring for a split second before returning to normal. Lavi looked at Road from the corner of his eye, wondering what had happened to cause the lapse.

"He can't hear us, so you can talk, you know. Remember, these are memories. They can't be changed and they can't be interfered with, even with my abilities," Road announced – quite loudly – and Lavi just shook his head, uncomfortable with a Noah linking his arm and the fact that they were watching a child version of Allen sit by himself. He couldn't place the time nor day, or even the location the memory was taking place.

"It's in London, and Mana's off performing somewhere. Allen went for a walk and got lost, and now he's waiting for Mana to come and find him."

Lavi sighed, untangling his arm from Road's and inching away slightly, the constant answers to the questions in his _head_ starting to annoy him.

"Road," he asked, crossing his arms and turning to look at the spiky haired Noah. "Why are you showing me this? It's not really a battle if you're only showing me my friend's past."

"You'll see," was all she said before turning around, and Lavi could only picture the smile on her face as she watched Allen. Suddenly, a stranger appeared, walking through Lavi as if he was a ghost – Lavi shuddered at the thought not keen on the idea of being invisible, and having someone walk directly through him. The man was wearing a large top hat, a smile on his face as he leaned down towards the smaller boy and held out his hand.

"Allen, you shouldn't be wandering on the streets at night."

"Go away," he replied, turning his head away, his face contorted into one of anger and sadness. Lavi stood shocked, the rude tone of Allen's voice completely new – the Allen he knew was polite and well mannered, and it was hard to picture the exorcist as anything but; except when it came to Kanda, but even then, Allen had found a way to make their fights polite.

"Allen, wouldn't you like to come back? Spending the night out in the cold isn't going to do you any good."

"I don't want to go anywhere with you!" Allen shouted, slapping the offered hand away as he stood up, wiping his eyes of the cold tears that had formed. Lavi figured the man was Mana, said male not moving from his position as he smiled warmly at the child in front of him.

"Allen, you know what happened can't be changed. Let's go, I'll make you some nice tea when we get back to the tents."

Lavi was confused as to what was happening, and Road turned around, her hands folded behind her back as she smiled widely – Lavi was getting tired of constant grin.

"One of the workers at the circus died earlier, and Allen was friends with him. Although he didn't know at the time, it was by an akuma. He still doesn't know. He's blaming Mana right now. I bet you're not used to seeing your friend so rude, are you?"

Lavi glared, starting to catch on to Road's plan.

"It won't work. Allen isn't like this anymore, and besides, he's upset in this memory!"

Road laughed, shaking her head at the naivety she could sense from the exorcist. Lavi wanted to yell, but he bit his tongue, instead keeping his attention on the young version of his friend.

_This must have happened close to when Mana found Allen in the first place._

"Correct."

"Allen?"

Lavi watched hesitantly as Allen started crying, hugging Mana for all he was worth. Mana just wrapped his arms tightly around the small body, trying to keep the child warm at the same time. The bookman in training looked away, feeling as if he was intruding on something he wasn't supposed to.

_I'm watching Allen's memories. I think this crosses the borderline of intrusion._

The memory faded, and Lavi watched as the two disappeared, a new scene taking its place as Road tried once again to weaken Lavi. An older version of Allen appeared, though not much older then the one he had just seen. This Allen was walking slowly, a scowl on his face as he walked behind the older man. Lavi blinked, the sudden sunshine causing him to rub his eye in distress, the appearance of light affecting him slightly.

"This memory was only a month after the memory you just saw," Road said, pulling on Lavi, following behind the brown haired boy. The area was green and bright, the grass alive and the trees blooming with clarity; the sky was clear as it brought along the process of spring, and Lavi figured that the time of the memory was during the blooming season, a new location due to the frequent travelling Allen and Mana did.

"You're catching on, Bookman!"

"Allen," Lavi heard Mana call, the latter stopping and turning around, once again kneeling to Allen's height. The child just stopped, a blank expression on his face as he calculated what his adoptive 'father' was doing. "Why don't we take a break tonight? Go get something to eat in one of the restaurants in the village we're heading too."

"I don't care," was Allen's brisk reply, folding his arms as he looked away. Lavi shook his head, still having trouble processing the Allen he was seeing; no matter how hard he wanted to convince himself that it was all a lie, he knew that the chances of the memories being real were almost a hundred percent. The thought made his stomach drop, an unknown feeling twisting in his gut as he watched his companion gain an attitude towards the man who was trying so hard to reach Allen.

"Then it's settled," Mana said, his voice light and happy. Allen looked as if he was battling with his emotions, debating whether or not to smile or to frown. Lavi almost laughed at the sight, Allen's cheeks puffing out as he held his breath. Mana chuckled before standing up, falling into step beside Allen and waiting for the younger boy to start walking.

_Was Allen really like this?_

"Believe it, Bookman."

Lavi rolled his eye, shaking his arm out of Road's grip; the latter just giggled, snapping her fingers to change to a different memory. Lavi expected it to be another scene with them travelling; but instead, he was brought inside a restaurant, the interior small and quant with the walls painted a brownish color, tinted with some greens and blues that gave it an earthy feel. He immediately spotted the brunette sitting down at a small, round table beside the wall, his head on his hands with a bored expression on his face. Mana was looking at a menu, deciding what to order for the two of them. Road grabbed Lavi's sleeve, dragging him towards the table. Lavi pulled her back, not wanting to intrude anymore then he was.

"Idiot, they can't see or hear us. Stop being so hesitant," Road said, yanking harder and almost causing Lavi to fall over.

"Sheesh, for a little girl, you sure are strong," Lavi said, a bit of venom entering his words. Road just shrugged, taking a seat beside the small boy, Lavi standing at the front of the table and debating whether or not to take a seat.

"You might want too. This memory is a lot longer then the last two."

Lavi sighed before complying, taking a seat beside Mana so he could watch Allen; the very thought caused guilt to bubble up in his stomach, corroding his mind almost worse then Road's ability. Mana's sudden voice startled him, the guilt subsiding as he listened in on the conversation – well, one sided conversation.

"Allen, what would you like to eat?"

"I don't care," Allen said, looking at anything but Mana. Lavi wanted to slap him, but knew trying was futile – he reminded himself that this was a memory, and nothing more. Mana smiled, showing Allen the menu; the latter sighed before pointing at something that Lavi couldn't see, earning a pat on the head from the clown. Allen didn't bother to protest, and Lavi figured Mana was making process with the stubborn child.

"At first, you'd think so. But keep watching."

A thin waitress came up, her hair tied in a bun on the top of her head and a pencil over her ear as she pulled out a notepad. She removed the pencil, obviously waiting for the two to make up their mind on what they wanted to order. Mana smiled warmly, placing his requests before the waitress walked off looking tired and bored. Allen said nothing, glancing out the window with a familiar faraway look in his eyes. The comparison between then and what Allen was like when he looked out the window on the train was startling, and Lavi was able to see the similarity between the two different ages of his comrade that he had easily overlooked before. Although Allen looked a lot younger, and his hair was a normal color, his face was still that rounded shape, his eyes innocent and wide. He missed what Mana had just said, but Allen quickly looked over, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the older man.

"I don't care! I don't! Why do you keep asking me questions when you know I don't _care_?"

Lavi blinked, the reason to the sudden outburst lost on him. Road laughed, clapping her hands to get Lavi's attention.

"I told you to keep watching. Mana simply asked if Allen would like to perform with him tomorrow, and Allen snapped. This isn't the first time, either."

Lavi watched as Allen stood up and left the restaurant, an angry look on his face and tears in his eyes, and Lavi couldn't place why. The child seemed so different, and though Lavi denied it, it was changing the way he looked at his comrade; Allen couldn't have acted like that, not compared to what he acted like in the present.

"You only wish, Bookman. Let's fast forward to the infamous grave scene, 'kay?"

Lavi blinked, not sure what Road was talking about. The memory quickly changed, and Lavi immediately saw Allen sitting by a grave, tears flowing freely down his face as he sat by a large piece of stone, the words _'Mana'_ engraved on the front. Lavi shook his head, desperately wanting to close his eye but not being able to, the scene intriguing him yet terrifying him at the same time. Road shrugged, leaning over the gravestone as she watched Allen as well, a smile on her face as she tilted her head. Allen continued to just sit and stare, his eyes having lost some of the light they once held.

"Master Earl should be here soon. As much as I'd love to see him in Allen's memory, perhaps it's time to get to the actual fighting. I mean, we are on a limited amount of time."

Lavi groaned, slapping his head as memories of the Ark invaded his mind.

"Calm down, Bookman. It's nothing like that. But I'm sure Tyki has already taken care of that inspector guy… And Lenalee and that other exorcist are probably close to death too – "

"You underestimate us. We beat all of you once – "

"If I recall correctly," Road said, snapping her fingers as the memory dissipated, leaving them in the underground river to the old Headquarters. Lavi blinked, not liking where this was going. "If it hadn't been for Allen's master to show up, you all would have been annihilated by Tyki's berserk form. Not to mention, Allen was the one who indirectly helped you escape; he can't save you this time around."

Lavi glared, attempting to grab his Innocence before remembering that he had dropped it.

_Damn it!_

"Now come on, I thought you wanted to fight from the beginning."

Road pulled out a dagger, tossing it to Lavi as the latter quickly caught it, a bit of blood trickling from his hand from the sharp edge.

"I still won't be your opponent. This time, it's Allen," Road said, smiling as the young child appeared, standing in front of Lavi with a curious expression on his face.

"Have fun."

Road disappeared, leaving Lavi and the small Allen alone. Lavi sighed; knowing that it was an illusion barely helped him concentrate on his 'opponent,' the innocent face staring at him and causing Lavi to falter.

"Mr. Exorcist, why are you holding a knife? You aren't planning to kill me, are you?"

Lavi stepped back, closing his eye as he focused his energy on driving the dagger through 'Allen.' He tried to remember what he had seen, the rude and attitude ridden boy not the same Allen he knew now.

_He's not real. This isn't the real Allen. The real Allen is fighting Tyki somewhere. _

The thought caused adrenaline to surge through his body, lunging forward and driving the dagger through the young boy's heart and landing on his knees after removing it. He barely flinched as everything disappeared, leaving him in a black room with a laugh echoing around him.

"You must be getting better at ignoring your emotions. Well, shall we move on?"

"Move on?" Lavi asked, standing up and wiping the non-existent dust from his pants. "Why can't you just materialize so we can fight for real?"

"That wouldn't be much fun. Besides, don't you want to see what Allen was like during his time with Cross Marian?"

Lavi's breath caught in his throat; he had wondered what went on between them to cause Allen to have odd abilities – such as being a master at gambling – and now the opportunity was presented right in front of him. He figured since protesting would be done in vain, he accepted the notion, albeit reluctantly. Road appeared before him, grinning as she grabbed his arm.

"Well, let's go," she said, and as they began walking, the black room changed to one of a hotel room, the sheets messy and a mass of red hair sticking out from underneath. Lavi blinked, hoping to God that Cross was _not_ naked underneath the covers. He breathed a sigh of relief when Allen walked in, his old outfit of a white shirt, black pants, and red tie adorning his body as he carried in a tray full of food. Cross pushed the blankets away – thankfully, he was wearing pants – and took the offered plate of food, not bothering to thank his apprentice.

"Here's your bill for the night," Cross said, handing Allen a piece of paper from the nightstand beside his bed. Allen sighed before taking it, his eyes widening at the small written amount of money.

"Master! This will take at least a _week_ to get enough money to pay this off!"

"Then I guess you better get working, idiot pupil."

Lavi was shocked as he watched the two converse, Allen looking dismayed while Cross ate the edible items on the plate. A sudden understanding for the exorcist flowed through Lavi.

Road smiled at this.

"Well, get at it!"

Allen sighed before walking out of the room, and Lavi spotted a deck of cards in his back pocket. His eye twitched as he remembered the day on the train, and Allen had earned all of Krory's clothes back by gambling with the very man Allen was fighting right now. Lavi quickly followed Allen out of the room, and Road seemed to be enjoying it, laughing quietly to herself as she stayed close to Lavi. The exorcist realized the dagger had disappeared with the black room, and he wondered how long it would be before he could leave the dream world and find his comrades.

"That's if you get out alive, Bookman. And don't forget – you have to destroy me first, and you don't know where I am."

Lavi rolled his eye, seriously getting tired of Road being able to read his thoughts with ease. They followed the white haired boy until he came to a stop in an alley, the darkened street probably filled with gamblers and thugs of all different varieties.

"Hey, no kids allowed," he heard a large man say, Allen stumbling back slightly from the sight of the humongous man. He stuttered as he tried to gte a sentence out, and Lavi felt bad for the kid who had to work under Cross.

"S-Sir, if I may, w-would you like to play a game of cards?"

The man bellowed loudly, calling to his friends as three more larger men appeared behind him, all looking eager to beat something small up. Allen just so happened to be small.

"Play cards? Against a kid? What's in it for us?"

"W-Well, my master has lots of valuable items that you could make a profit from," Allen said, his voice gaining a bit more confidence. The man seemed to ponder this before asking another question, and Lavi was left to wonder what had given Allen the courage to bet with some of _Cross's_ items – he wouldn't have been surprised if Judgement had been offered once or twice on the market by Cross's scheming student.

"And what's in it for you, if you miracously win?"

"One thousand?"

The man seemed to think on this before agreeing, dragging Allen into one of the doors that Lavi hadn't spotted due to the shadows.

"Allen needs a thousand… He was lucky that those thugs agreed."

Lavi nodded as he followed Road into the door Allen had disappeared into, the two of them watching the latter as he sat down nervously on one of the pillows that surrounded a small card playing area. The room itself was stuffy and filled with various types of smoke, alcohol bottles littering the ground and tables. Lavi watched carefully as the men dealt the cards, and Allen rolled down his sleeves, stating it was too cold in room to cover up the fact that he was going to cheat.

"All right, let's play," one of the men said, and Allen smiled, covering his face with his cards. Lavi was mystified as Allen quickly won the first three hands, outstanding the men that were his opponents. The men seemed to get angrier and angrier as they lost continuously, and everyone in the bar seemed to gather around the table as they watched the three men get their asses handed to them. When the final hand was dealt, Lavi caught Allen slipping his cards once again, effectively winning the hand and claiming the prize.

"Heh, it was nice playing against you," Allen said quickly, standing up and heading for the door. There were collective sighs and shouts passed around the room at Allen's winning, and Lavi noticed one of the men eyeing Allen carefully, following him out of the bar at a good distance. Lavi followed closely behind as well, having forgotten about Road being there as well. She seemed to notice this, a happy smile on her face as her plan began to fall together.

_Why is he following Allen?_

His question seemed to be answered when Allen entered the hotel room, Cross already gone as he left a note on the bed. The man barged in, punching the unsuspecting Allen square in the face while holding a knife to Allen's throat as he pushed the boy up against the wall.

"You cheated. Where is all this valuable stuff you were talkin' about?"

"M-My master's gone, he took it with him."

Lavi attempted to punch the man in the back of the head as the knife went deeper into Allen's throat, drawing blood as it dripped down onto his white shirt and stained it crimson. However, his hand passed harmlessly through, neither of the occupants of the room flinching.

"Where is he? I guess he won't mind if I cut your head off then, if he leaves his twelve year old kid alone to gamble," the man shouted, and Allen coughed violently as the knife continued to go deeper, more blood running down his pale neck. Lavi couldn't believe what he was seeing – and no salvation was in sight as Cross was gone.

"Oh, just wait. I think you'll be surprised at what happens next," Road said, clapping her hands in anticipation. Footsteps echoed in the silent room, and Lavi heard a click as he watched Cross point Judgement to the man's head.

"You shouldn't be picking on kids. Let him go, or I'll blow your head off."

The man seemed to get the idea, and he quickly dropped Allen on the floor before running out of the room, leaving the two alone. Allen breathed a sigh of relief, wiping away the blood on his neck, despite the fact that more just bubbled to the surface after he moved the limb from the wound. He handed Cross the money, smiling slightly.

"Here you go, master. There's a thousand."

Cross didn't smile, but he walked over to the nightstand and grabbed a cloth, placing it on the young boy's neck before wiping away the blood that had formed on Allen's lip, which was split from the impact of fist to face. Lavi blinked a few times, trying to comprehend what he had just seen.

"Cross wasn't always a bad master… But most of the time, he was."

Lavi waited for the memory to finish changing, expecting another one to appear, but instead he found himself back in the darkened, underground tunnel that held the river.

"Sorry, Bookman," Road said, walking slowly back and forth. "We're almost out of time. Let's have our final battle for today, shall we?"

Lavi nodded, not surprised when the dagger appeared in his hand. He knew it wouldn't be Road herself that would be fighting, and he wasn't disappointed as Allen appeared before him, exorcist uniform and Crown Clown adorning his body. He was smiling widely, but Lavi could see the fakeness behind it, realizing that most of Allen's smiles lately were fake. Road stepped off to the side, expecting Lavi to attack, but the latter just stood there and watched the illusionary Allen in front of him.

"Oh, did you want more opponents?"

It was if the Ark repeated itself, and suddenly, Lavi was surrounded by all of his comrades; Lenalee, Kanda, Komui, Bookman, and everyone else from the Order that he knew. He glared at Road, his knife raised up to protect him from any oncoming attacks.

"Really? So is that you, or is one of them you?"

"You'll have to slash through them all to find out."

Lavi sighed before bending his knees, poised for attack against the oncoming illusions. He quickly ran forward, cutting down each on that got in his way. Although it had been hard the first time, he had already gone through something of the sort, and so it made it easier to destroy his fake comrades.

_They're all fighting or back at the Order. These aren't real._

Road continued to laugh, and Lavi realized that despite the fact he had destroyed almost all of the illusions, Road was still alive – well, she'd be alive afterwards as well – and Lavi was at a loss for where she could be.

"Confused, Bookman? How do you know I'm here at all? I could be hiding."

Lavi smirked, Road giving away a piece of crucial information that she overlooked. Lavi ran through the tunnel blindly, searching for one thing and one thing only – it wasn't anything specific, but it was _something. _As he continued to run, the water splashed around him, attempting to slow him down but failing continuously. He finally spotted a doll in the water, and he took that as what he looking for, picking up the wet toy and attempted to stab it. However, he felt something dig into his back, and he cried out in pain as black overtook his vision.

"Lavi, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be fighting demons?"

Lavi turned around to find a confused Allen, his Innocence out and clawing at Lavi's back. The latter quickly turned around, but the memories of everything he witnessed was to fresh in mind, and the second he faltered was the second that the illusionary Allen drove Lavi's knife through his stomach, causing the exorcist to cough up blood before sinking to the ground, Allen sinking with him.

"Lavi?"

Said boy smirked, grabbing the knife out of his stomach and stabbing the doll that he still held tightly in his hand. He missed the heart, but he didn't care, and he watched as the room disappeared and he was back in the area he had started out in, Road holding her arm as she smiled sickeningly at Lavi. Lavi's back was still in pain, and he could feel the blood pour out of his stomach, confusion settling in his mind as he focused on staying conscious.

"Fool, the wound you received in your mind may have been _in_ your mind, but they can still affect you outside as well. You've won this time, but that doesn't mean your comrades have."

Lavi glared as he leaned against the wall for support, grabbing his Innocence from the ground and activating it. Road laughed, backing up as Lero came in, the talking umbrella loud and annoying.

"Mistress Road! What are you doing, lero? Finish him off!"

"I think I'll leave that to Allen."

Lavi's eyes widened.

"That's right; what's Allen going to say when he found out you willingly watched his past? That is, if Allen survived against Tyki."

"Shut up!" Lavi cried, all self control lost as pain racked his body, the memories affecting him more then they had when he witnessed them. Road just laughed, snapping her fingers as she left the room, the area lighting up and leaving Lavi alone as he sat against the wall. The floor to the room was connected to another one, a door in the middle of the large wall he connected the odd structure. Lavi figured that the room led to either Allen and Link or Kanda and Lenalee, and he bit his tongue against the burning in his stomach as he stood up and headed for the large door, opening it to see a familiar face.

_Road didn't use all of her power. This must have literally just been for fun. There's another twist to this, I know it._


	20. Chapter 20

Between trying to understand exponential functions, attempting – feebly – to pass physics, and working on TWO huge projects (one of which involves filming), school has taken over my life – and, sadly, my writing time. Not to mention, attempting to describe attacks from Jasdevi was hard. I really tried to write this chapter well, and I'm not sure if I did it justice. Kanda and Lenalee were giving me trouble with keeping in character, and I'm not sure how well I did. I could just be overreacting thanks to my stress-induced mind – I've been sick for the last month, as well – but you, fellow readers, can be the judge of that, heh. Also note that these aren't the main battles of the story – that'll be coming up soon! The length is a bit shorter then I would have liked, but these things happen. Next chapter I've started, since it's Allen's chapter – which I've been excited to write since I planned out this story. So expect that within the next few days, give or take. If you managed to read all that and not get bored, without further rambling, here is chapter twenty!

* * *

20.

[kanda and lenalee vs. the twins from hell]

_"The door most likely leads to Allen."_

_

* * *

_i.

Step. Step. Step.

"Where are you, you fucking Noah?"

Kanda glared, looking around the dark, deep purple room, the area empty and silent as Lenalee walked around, careful to avoid getting snuck up on. The space was small, large enough for five people at most. The walls, floor, and ceiling all remained the same color as they blended at the edges, no door or window in sight. It was like being in box, except the ground was sturdier and would be a lot more tasteful to fight in then cardboard. When the room they had been in previously disassembled itself, they had lost sight of the rest of their comrades, and Kanda had noticed that Allen was sent flying on his own, Link his only companion against _Tyki._ Lenalee hadn't figured this out, and the stoic samurai had decided to keep it to himself, not wanting to worry the female exorcist more then she already was. Kanda didn't particularly care what happened to bean sprout, but Lenalee did. Lavi, Kanda noted, was completely on his own.

"Heh, heh, heh, looking for someone?"

Kanda folded his arms over his chest, getting impatient as he waited for the twins to show themselves. Since he had stayed behind to fight Skinn during their time on the Ark, he hadn't witnessed what the twins were capable of doing, but Lenalee had briefly described it sometime after the entire incident. When he heard footsteps behind him, he quickly unsheathed Mugen, the only light coming from Lenalee's activated boots. He heard the young girl mutter something under her breath, and he barely caught it as he walked a bit closer to Devitto and Jasdero.

"They haven't merged yet…"

"Exorcists," Devitto said still toying with his golden gun as he passed it back and forth in between his hands. "This could have been avoided if you had just let the trade happen. I mean, really, what's the big deal? Allen for the stupid vampire – "

"You'd be getting a Noah off your hands!"

Devitto and Jasdero started laughing, not paying attention to the look they were receiving from an angry Lenalee. Said girl walked forward, kicking her leg up and knocking Devitto onto the ground. Jasdero looked confused for a moment, staring at his brother on the ground and back up to the ticked off exorcist in front of him.

"Krory is _not_ a stupid vampire, and Allen is not a Noah!"

Devitto stood up, wiping the wrinkles in his white vest before leaning down and picking up his gun, no mark of where Lenalee had kicked him visible.

"You stupid girl! That was unfair!"

Lenalee shrugged, her short hair falling around her face as she poised for attack again.

"So you can actually fight this time around, eh exorcist?"

Kanda shook his head as he came up beside Lenalee, Mugen thrown over his shoulder as he pondered what to do about the twins. The situation seemed comical, and Kanda noticed that Devitto and Jasdero were childish. Lenalee didn't take her eyes off of the Noah in front of her, built up anger and frustration beginning to boil over as she remembered the last encounter with the two she was currently facing off against. Krory had almost died because of them, and he was in their clutches once again – unknown adrenaline surged through her body, and she attacked before the other three occupants of the room could comprehend what was happening. She jumped upwards, effectively blending in with the shadows, before pushing herself downwards quickly and swiftly, not really landing as she ended up behind Devitto, her leg flying upwards as she flipped and her foot collided painfully with the back of the Noah's head. Devitto yelled in pain, not sure where the exorcist had come from before Kanda took the chance to strike as well, bringing Mugen down on an unsuspecting Jasdero. The blonde blocked the oncoming attack, but he joined his brother across the room, both looking angry at the ambush. Kanda ran forward, preparing to attack as he brought his Innocence up with both of his hands; however, the samurai hadn't witnessed what the bullets to Devitto and Jasdero's guns could do, and Lenalee had a split second to get him out of the way before the twins shot their Blue Bullet. The ice appeared on the floor, and Kanda quickly helped Lenalee up before getting ready to attack once again.

"Kanda," Lenalee said hurriedly, her tone worried compared to the laughing the twins were producing. "Their bullets have different properties. It's hard to stop, so be careful – and if they give hint to a Purple Bullet, get out of the way."

Kanda nodded, running forward once again. Devitto and Jasdero began shooting multiple times, but Kanda avoided the attacks; when he got close enough, he swung Mugen downwards, appearing out of the smoke that had produced from the rapid succession of attacks. His Innocence connected with Devitto, and the dark haired Noah was sent flying backwards once again. Jasdero chuckled before shooting something purple, and Lenalee ran forward to keep Devitto on the ground as Kanda avoided the bullet.

"Damn exorcists," Devitto muttered, connecting his fist to the side of Lenalee's head, causing her to fall back in pain.

"Tch, prepare to die, Noah," Kanda said, activating Mugen's Double Illusion form, the two blades connected with blue energy. Lenalee stood up quickly, ignoring the pain and the feel of blood dripping down the side of her face.

"Woah, don't get so serious, now," Devitto said, and Kanda realized the two twins were holding hands. "We have some time to burn before anyone comes to get us, so why not make the most of it?" Jasdero leaned against Devitto, eyeing his golden gun absentmindedly as he turned it around in his hand.

"Comes and get us?" Lenalee asked, wiping away some of the crimson. Jasdero nodded, still not looking up from his gun as Devitto answered.

"While Road's dealing with the Bookman, Tyki's fighting Allen and that blonde haired guy. Who is he, anyways?"

"None of your business," Kanda said, purposefully avoiding looking at Lenalee – he could only imagine the look on her face once the words set in that Allen was fighting in his state, against the very Noah that had come close to killing him on more then once occasion.

"Whatever. Anyways, I wouldn't worry too much over your friends. Allen will probably be a Noah by the end of today, and he can join us. Then you can have the vampire back."

_That's why they wanted the trade off._

"Are you going to fight," Kanda started, boredom lacing his words. "Or are you going to talk our ears off with your bullshit?"

"Hah! Think it's a joke all you want, but you know just as well as Allen himself that it's only a matter of time. Master Earl wants to make that time now," Devitto began laughing as he said this, his chuckling fading out before taking on a more serious look.

"It doesn't matter. You'll all die here – "

Lenalee ran forward, kicking Devitto with such a force that Jasdero was knocked backwards along with his brother; severely angry, he rebounded the attack, shooting Lenalee just before he landed on the ground. Neither Kanda nor Lenalee had a chance to parry the attack as a flurry of crimson flames lit up the room, and Lenalee was thrown across the small space with burns decorating her arms from the blockade she tried to create. Kanda cursed, but as he prevailed towards the Noah on the ground, they both began shooting, the samurai having to cut through the attacks as he readied his own. Kanda sliced forward, effectively cutting through the rapid bullets and hitting his targets successively. When they recovered, Jasdero got in an attack, sending the blue haired exorcist skidding backwards.

"Play time's over," Devitto said, his layered hair covering his face as he pointed his gun at Jasdero's blonde head, the latter doing the same to his brother. Kanda glared as he stood up, lifting Mugen up once again. Lenalee joined her comrade, her arms blistered and red from the attack, but she showed no hint of pain.

"Kanda, get ready," Lenalee said, anticipation churning in her stomach as she realized what the Noah of Bonds was about to do; their voices carried through the room as they sang, smiles on their faces. Kanda looked greatly annoyed, not keen on the idea of singing in the middle of the battle, despite the fact that he knew exactly what they were doing; Lenalee had informed him of two twins actually being one Noah, their body tough and hard to beat. Two gunshots echoed throughout the room as Kanda bent his knees, intending to attack as soon as they were merged. The shadows on the ground blended in a mix of black and dark shades – it happened quickly as Jasdero and Devitto became one Noah, blonde hair covering their body with a black pattern expertly swirled in.

_Krory had fought them while injured, and he won, _Lenalee thought, her eyes narrowing. _But this isn't going to be easy. It's been a while since we were on the Ark, and we have no idea how strong they could have gotten._

Kanda seemed to sense her thoughts, looking out of the corner of his eyes as he smirked, clearly saying that they'd win. Lenalee nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear while running with amazing speed forward, slipping underneath the purple shockwaves that Jasdevi sent her way. Once she reached a close enough distance, she jumped upwards, Kanda continuing to launch forward as he brought his two swords down on the Noah one slash after another, but Jasdero produced a barrier quickly as it crackled in the air, the force of Kanda's Innocence trying to break through. Jasdevi laughed as Kanda struggled, but Lenalee came shooting downwards, her feet collecting gravity and sending Jasdero crashing into a nearby wall and she landed gracefully with her hands on the ground and her feet itching to attack again; Kanda quickly took the opportunity to attack as he made contact with Jasdero's body, causing the Noah to scream out in pain.

"Die, exorcists!" Jasdero yelled, their blonde hair quickly lengthening and taking on sharp edges, piercing Kanda in multiple places through his stomach and legs, a total of nine pieces launched into his body, one of which piercing the burn that was still healing on his forearm. He bit his tongue as he attempted to pull it out, all to no avail.

"Kanda!" Lenalee shouted as she pushed herself off of her position on the cold floor, shooting towards the exorcist and cutting through the thick pieces of hair that assaulted the blue haired samurai. Jasdero laughed as they produced a large, menacing pentacle, Lenalee realizing it was the same technique that had been used on Allen. Before she could react, the pentacle was bound to Kanda, causing his body to jerk as bolts of electricity surrounded him. Lenalee ignored the worry that was settling in as she followed what Lavi had done before, smashing through the pentacle and releasing Kanda from its deadly grip before setting him down and attacking the red clothed body. She could feel extra adrenaline flowing through her as she let her anger go, her emotions fueling her power as she forced contact upon the Bonded Noah, the latter not blocking in time. Lenalee narrowed her eyes as she pushed her foot onto Jasdero's stomach, energy highlighting the air.

"Stupid exorcist, get off!" Jasdevi cried, grabbing onto Lenalee's boot with a crushing force, attempting to remove her from overtop. Kanda sneered, recovering from the attack as some of his regeneration abilities kicked in; although there was a large amount of pain throughout his body, he pushed it out of his mind, his eyes like ice as he darted towards his screaming comrade.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to hit a girl," Kanda said in a strained voice as he brought both of the swords in his hand down on the trampled Jasdevi. "Even though you look like one."

Jasdevi growled, pushing Lenalee off and knocking Kanda backwards in the midst of his attack. Righting himself, Kanda watched as Jasdevi smiled; Lenalee quickly panicked, yelling out a name Kanda hadn't heard in a long time.

"Lero!"

The smile dropped off of Jasdevi's face as a familiar umbrella-like golem appeared, shouting something incoherent as it bounced around the room; Kanda got the gist of it – something about the Earl.

"That's not master!" Jasdevi yelled, and Kanda could've sworn the two twins in the body of one were arguing. He looked over to Lenalee for some kind of answer, but the dark haired girl just shrugged.

"I said the first thing that came to mind," she whispered, inching closer to Kanda. "Last time, they called a fake Millennium Earl, and Allen and Lavi had a hard time beating it. I thought maybe if I distracted them, they'd make a mistake on what they were creating…"

"Not bad," Kanda said, smirking. "Let's finish them off and get out of here."

Lenalee nodded, intent on finding Allen before the battle between him and Tyki ended up being deadly.

_He's fine._

"Jasdevi, it's almost time, let's go!"

A shrill voice echoed from seemingly nowhere, causing the two exorcists to look around in confusion. Lenalee had recognized the voice – Road – but she was nowhere in sight, her presence hidden in the shadows away from prying eyes. In the blink of an eye, Jasdevi became Jasdero and Devitto, the latter grabbing his gun and aiming for Lenalee's head. The fake Lero was still roaming around, but the occupants of the room blocked it out; the real Lero sounded angry as it's voice carried through, Road's laughing in the background.

"Why is there another me, Lero! Jasdevi – "

"Shut up, would you?" Devitto said, pulling back the trigger while assessing the female exorcist just a few feet away. "Where's the bookman, Road?"

Lenalee's eyes widened, the blood draining from her face as Road appeared, sitting on Lero with a large grin across her face. Something in the pit of her stomach screamed that something had happened, and the smile on Road's face didn't help at all.

"Oh, he'll probably be joining the exorcists soon. Although, we have to make sure he sees Allen before we destroy him," she laughed, standing on the umbrella as it directed her down beside the now two Noah. Lenalee glanced over to Kanda, the latter wearing an expressionless mask as he watched the three carefully. Devitto was still aiming at Lenalee, and the stoic exorcist was getting greatly annoyed by the games.

"What did you do to Lavi…" Lenalee asked, her voice small, yet it travelled throughout the condensed space.

"It's not really what I did to _him_, exactly," Road replied, her hands on her chin as she looked off in thought. Lenalee clenched her fists as she looked down, her dark hair creating a curtain over her pale and angry expression.

"Well, either way, hurry up – "

"What's your motive," Lenalee interrupted, looking up and pointing furiously at the young girl. "Why are you doing this?"

"It's what we do. And we want Allen. He's technically a Noah – "

"He's _not_ one of you!" The exorcist screamed, shooting forward; her vision was encased with a greenish color, and time seemed to move slowly as she slid underneath one of the bullets, the icy blue entering her line of sight a split second before she was able to slide skillfully out of the way. The timespan of how long it took before she collided into the dark skinned Noah was two seconds, but to Lenalee, it felt like a lifetime until she felt herself stop and watch as Devitto crashed into the wall once again, this time causing the structure to crumble slightly as pieces of debris fell to the floor surrounded by smoke. Before she could react, something cold pressed to the back of her neck, causing a shiver to reverberate throughout her body. However, Kanda had already predicted this, and he slid to the blonde haired Noah and brought Mugen – which was now one piece – and sliced through Jasdero, black droplets falling to the floor and surrounding his crimson blood that had leaked through his uniform from the injuries he had received.

Lenalee breathed a sigh of relief, turning around to see Jasdero cradling his arm as he stared at Kanda's Innocence without hatred.

"Alright," Road said, looking slightly bored as she sat down on Lero. "That's enough. Let's go check on – "

"Lavi!"

Lenalee shouted, watching as the red headed exorcist limped in with a frown on his face, his hand covered in red. Road smiled, creating a door before anyone could stop her; Jasdero helped up his brother from the pile of rubble on the ground, but before they could leave, Kanda righted his stance and charged towards the three Noah. The twins smirked before lifting up their golden weapons and shooting something red, heat immediately assaulting his already worn out body. The samurai expected to be burned, but instead, another pillar of fire appeared and negated the attack from the twins. A familiar bookman entered Kanda's line of sight, holding out his hand as he offered to help the exorcist up.

"That was close," Lavi said, smiling – however, Kanda sensed Lavi was off, his eye hiding something. He ignored the outstretched hand, pushing himself off the ground and grabbing the fallen sword that had left his grip when red and orange had filled his vision.

"Their gone," Lenalee said, joining her injured friends by the checkered door that still remained.

"The door most likely leads to Allen," Lavi replied, placing his stained hand over the wood, the material feeling rough. "She had created a door when… A door that lead here. So I'm assuming this one will lead to Allen, Link, and Tyki."

Lenalee had caught the skip in his voice, and the hesitation that plagued the words he tried to speak; she wanted to ask the elusive bookman what had happened, his lack of eye contact and general interaction worrying her more then she let on. Kanda's deep voice startled her out of her thoughts, her arms beginning to ache from the blisters that layered her skin from the Red Bullets.

"Are we just going to stand here, or are we going?"

"Let's go get Allen," Lenalee said, Lavi nodding his head in agreement, his arms crossed. His uniform was ripped around his stomach, the cloth hiding any wound that could have been residing there. Kanda wasn't in much better shape, blood coating his hands and his uniform torn from the pieces of hair that pierced him; his blue hair that was usually in ponytail was beginning to fall out, the strands covering his expression. Lenalee could only imagine what she looked like; her hair felt a mess and her arms were burning, and the hit she had received from Devitto caused blood to be caked in her fine hair, her head pounding slightly.

"You guys don't give moyashi enough credit," Kanda said, sheathing Mugen and heading towards the red and black exit. But as they stepped through the odd shaped door, the temperature dropped to a decreasingly cold degree, and the sight in front of them proved just how wrong Kanda had been. The door quickly disappeared once they entered the bleak room, and the exorcists watched as the scene in front of them unfolded.


	21. Chapter 21

I had to throw the hair comment in. I couldn't help it; honestly, I couldn't. But anyways, I enjoyed seeing the comments about the cliffhanger – that was my intention! I couldn't have all the fun in one chapter. But, alas, here is the chapter you've all been waiting for! I had a ton of fun writing it (twisted humor? Maybe; but Allen is just so much fun to torture) and we're finally at the halfway point! Almost… So, here is chapter twenty-one, and I can't believe how many hits I've gotten. Thanks to all who reviewed and the like, I really appreciated it! Your comments made my day and encouraged me to write this chapter quickly. I spent seven hours in total, and I think my fingers are about ready to fall out; I had to write for history, too. But since my ramblings seem to go on forever, let's end it now! Here's chapter 21, and leave a review on your way out!

* * *

21.

[allen: awakening]

"_Walker, knock it off! You're Allen Walker, not the Fourteenth!"_

_

* * *

_i.

"_Walker – "_

"_We'll be fighting Tyki. Be careful, Link."_

"_Let's play."_

The white haired exorcist looked around, the room stony and bleak; the large space was fashioned in an old and antique style, yet haunting as the cold feel added to the mystery of the random room he found himself locked in with Link and Tyki. Timcanpy was nowhere to be seen, and Allen figured the golem had ended up being trapped in the beginning room – or that's what he wanted to believe. There was no door, no window – no way to view the others and no way to see the winter touched world outside. There was a simple cover of reflective glass that stretched across one of the walls, but Allen purposefully avoided it, not keen on the idea of seeing the dark shadow that lured behind him – not when his life and the man behind him were on the line. His mind screamed worry for his other companions, but he forcefully pushed away his thoughts, focusing on the dark Noah that stood only a few feet away with purple butterflies dancing around him. The wide grin and empty eyes were visible on his gray skin, black stigmata highlighting his forehead in a sick pattern; and Allen felt himself shiver from the dark, possessive aura around Tyki. It seemed as if any human side he might have had in his possession beforehand was gone, replaced by the murderous tendencies of the minions of the Earl.

"Allen Walker. You and I seem to have these encounters frequently."

"It's never by coincidence, only by force," Allen said, the Sword of Exorcism, that looked eerily liked the Earl's, resting on his shoulder. "We can never seem to meet under better circumstances, what with you trying to kill us all the time. Your hair's gotten longer, too."

"Walker," Link said, walking up to stand beside the exorcist. "This isn't really the time to be talking, don't you think?"

Allen shrugged, not surprised; Link hadn't been present at any of his meetings with the Noah of Pleasure, and although Allen and Tyki were sworn enemies, there was always a hint of conversation before one tried to destroy the other. Tyki decided to answer, leaning against the cool wall behind him as he put one arm across his chest and wrinkling the white dress shirt that resided underneath his black dress coat, the other arm still holding a Tease in front of him.

"It's almost a tradition," the Noah replied, lifting one foot to rest against the wall. "But don't worry, we have lots of time. Road's probably showing that bookman some… Interesting things, while Jasdero and Devitto will be taking on the other two."

Tyki took on a look of contemplation, his line of sight travelling to the endless roof in thought.

"That'd be interesting to see, actually," he said, letting the Tease go as he pushed himself off the wall. "But then again, we'll find out soon enough what the outcome is. For now, it's just us."

Allen lowered his Innocence, pointing it at Tyki as he wiped off any expression that could have shown on his face, anger starting to boil in his gut. He had been feeling off since his last encounter in the forest, and the ill sensation that assaulted him on more then one occasion was beginning to rise again; the wound on his chest aching.

"Tyki," Allen started, taking a few steps forward and keeping his eyes off the mirror. "Where are Krory and Chaoji?"

"You were the trade off – "

"Then why are the rest of my friends being dragged into this? You said you wanted me for Krory and Chaoji – instead, you ambush us," Allen interrupted, glaring slightly at the Noah in front of him. He was in no mood for games, and the fact that Tyki was being so off hand about the situation was ticking the cursed boy off.

"Now, now – we can't just accept exorcists, can we? It's the Noah that we're going to awaken, boy. And," Tyki continued, instantly appearing in front of both Allen and Link. "We don't need him."

Before Tyki could get in any form of attack against Link, Allen turned on the spot, swinging the Sword of Exorcism with him and destroying the onslaught of Tease that flocked towards the blonde. The room was silent as the butterflies drifted to the floor in a mass of pieces, Allen's breathing slightly off, his body not moving as his white bangs covered his eyes. Tyki smiled as he pinned Link to the wall with more Tease.

"Don't move, or they'll eat you alive."

Tyki summoned the familiar, bright purple weapon he had used against Allen before. The latter glared, memories of his fight on the Ark beginning to cloud his vision; however, he gathered his thoughts and refocused his attention, bringing his Innocence upwards and attempting to catch Tyki off guard. He didn't expect the hit to connect, and he wasn't disappointed as Tyki blocked the oncoming attack before releasing his own. Allen quickly pushed himself off the ground, the white cowl flowing behind him as he landed on the opposite side of Tyki and lifted his sword to create a blockade. The sound of metal being struck reverberated throughout the room; the force on his Innocence was strong, and Allen felt himself sliding backwards before falling backwards. He rolled as he made contact with the cold stone like terrain, his knuckles scraping across and causing droplets of blood to rise to the surface of the broken skin. The Noah quickly attacked once again, catching Allen off guard and sending him crashing into the mirror. The exorcist heard what sounded like a _crack_, but no shards of the reflective surface fell from the scratched mirror. Black spots danced in front of his eyes, and he rubbed his head to try and clear it of the haze that was beginning to settle. Tyki immediately appeared before him, lifting up the fifteen year old by his uniform.

"You should worry about yourself before you worry about your friends."

Allen produced a small smile, quickly deactivating his sword and grabbing Tyki's arm with his human hand. Before Tyki could react, Allen activated the claw form to his Innocence, the black and silver catching a glimpse of light before clenching into a fist and slamming into the Noah's stomach.

"Never," Allen said as Tyki dropped him, and Allen quickly scrambled upwards, grabbing his wrist and transforming it into the sword once again before heading into the direction where Link was held up against the wall. The Tease weren't intent on devouring anything just yet, but before Allen could get another step in, Tyki recovered from the blow and attempted to strike Allen in the back.

"Behind you, Walker!"

Allen followed Link's words, quickly turning around and hearing the familiar _clang_ once again.

"I see you still have the mark of the Tease on your _face_," Tyki said, pushing harder to knock Allen off balance once again. The latter put more pressure on his feet, his boots scraping against the floor as he desperately tried to stay upright. However, his knees buckled, his boots slipping as he was effectively crushed downward, purple filling his vision a split second before he was able to parry the blow.

"You can do better then this, boy."

Allen narrowed his eyes as he tried to push Tyki away, but the impact had caused the wound on his chest to flare up; hitting the mirror hadn't helped either, and his general body was in excruciating pain. The man fighting him seemed to realize this, smiling as he lifted some of the pressure.

"You're still injured. What were they thinking, sending off an injured boy to fight against us?"

"I'm _fine,_" Allen said forcefully, forgetting about the pain and parrying the crushing force exerted on him; Tyki wasn't expecting this, and the Noah was sent flying as Allen pushed back with help from Crown Belt, the white pieces of his cowl attempting to get a hold of Tyki. He glared as he knocked the pieces of Allen's cowl away, annoyed to some extent at being caught off guard, his hair falling over his shoulder as he skidded to a halt.

"Not bad, boy – but you're still going to need a miracle if you expect to win in your condition. And by the change in your attitude, I'm assuming the Fourteenth is finally taking his toll on you, is he not – "

"Shut up!" Allen yelled, running forward and striking Tyki. The latter smirked as he swung his arm out, blocking Allen and sending him sliding against the floor on his back.

"Point proven," Tyki said, watching amusedly as Allen sat up, wiping the blood away from his mouth. The exorcist could only imagine what his body looked like – there was the wound on the side of his face, and the cut that stretched across his scar over his left eye. His forehead was injured still, as well, and now he could taste metallic in his mouth from the attack. A cry of pain echoed throughout the room, and both Allen and Tyki diverted their attention to the far wall as Link tried to pull himself out of the Tease's grip. There was blood dripping from his hands, and an urgent feeling rose up in Allen's being as he rushed forward with help from Crowned Clown, reaching Link before Tyki could process what had happened. The white haired exorcist quickly cut the Tease away, catching Link as he felt from against the wall and onto Allen. His hands were bloody, but thankfully, the Tease hadn't had a chance to eat through to much skin.

"Walker, I'm fine," Link said, pushing himself off the ground before quickly falling back.

"You're in shock – "

Before Allen could finish his sentence, he was cut off when Tyki dashed forward, two of his weapons about to crush both Allen and Link. The former quickly raised his sword, Crowned Clown entrapping the two Order members; white filled the room and blocked the attack, but Tyki refused to let up, setting off a string of blows before hitting one last time, an inch away from breaking through Allen's Innocence. Once the attack had died down, Allen lunged forward, appearing out of the shadow of his cowl and attempting to drive his sword through Tyki's stomach once again. The latter smirked as he dodged the full hearted attempt, grabbing Allen by the collar of his uniform and pinning him to the ground before passing through the spot on Allen's chest, the latter's heart beating painfully at the intrusion.

"Does this bring back memories?" Tyki asked, smiling as he knelt over the boy, his hand one squeeze away from ripping the life out of Allen. He realized this, his breath beginning to come in short gasps as he waited for the inevitable.

"You look nervous, yet I can see the gold in your eyes. If I can't bring out the Noah, I'll destroy the exorcist that holds him."

"If you kill me, you kill the Fourteenth," Allen said breathlessly, his hand itching to pull Tyki away from him, but knowing it would be futile; if he couldn't fight, he'd let himself go down, effectively destroying the very reason he was suspected of treachery and saving the people he cared about. These seemed to be the thoughts that went through his mind at an alarming speed, rotting whatever thoughts that were processing before Tyki had passed through Allen's heart.

"Who said I was going to kill you? I'm going to destroy the exorcist in you. Your Innocence, for example," Tyki replied, reaching over and grabbing the still sword from the ground, Allen not grabbing it in time. He watched in horror as it deactivated, bright white flashing as the sword became his black Innocence once again. Tyki smirked, but before he could crush the Innocence, something kicked him forcefully in the back of the head, sending him flying overtop of Allen and his hand passed harmlessly through Allen's being. The latter breathed a sigh of relief as Link helped him up, a bit of blood dripping onto the gray floor.

"You – "

Allen cut him off.

"You forgot there are two of us."

Tyki narrowed his eyes before appearing before Allen once again, throwing him into the mirror before the boy could process what had happened. At the force of the impact, shattered, glittering pieces of silver and black fell around him, different sized shards littering the ground around him as bits of the reflective surface began to crumble. Allen squeezed his eyes shut as something warm trailed down the back of his head and onto the ground. He attempted to stand up, but the world spun, and he ended up falling on his hands and knees as his stomach churned something vile.

"Walker!" Link yelled, but Tyki knocked him backwards and threw him in unconsciousness, not interested in Allen's worried comrade.

"Damn it…" Allen whispered, blinking his eyes to try and clear the fog. Tyki began to laugh, his footsteps entering Allen's hearing as he walked forward and knelt down in front of the cursed exorcist.

"I told you, you can't win," the Noah whispered, his one arm thrown casually over his knee as he smiled. The temperature began to drop considerably, and Allen began to get confused, not sure on what just happened. There was something sticky clinging to his uniform around his stomach, the crimson falling to the floor in small droplets as the bandages became undone. The young exorcist quickly realized that Tyki was removing the bandages and reopening the wound on his chest with the Tease, the pain flaring up to an unbearable rate as he screamed in pain.

"I could always let you bleed to death," Tyki started, and Allen felt him fix the bandages. "But then it'd defeat the purpose of keeping you alive to keep the traitor alive; so we'll just make it worse."

Allen coughed, the thick liquid catching in his throat.

"Although, isn't it funny? You're assumed a traitor in the very place you live, and the Noah within you is a traitor as well. No one trusts you, and yet you still fight like you have a purpose," Tyki whispered, a grin on his face as he removed his hand.

"I have a purpose," Allen choked out.

"To destroy akuma, yes? But you're still with the people who don't trust you. And how does it feel, not knowing whether your foster father nor your master really cared for you, and not the Fourteenth – "

"Shut up!" Allen attempted to shout, but his voice was small and strained, his body in far too much pain, unconsciousness beginning to beckon him. He was tired of listening to Tyki, and he had a feeling he was being fought mentally instead of physically. Tyki just laughed, standing up and walking over to the unconscious Link on the ground.

"The fact that you have someone watching you…"

Allen attempted to stand up once again, his Innocence gathering around him as he felt the silver mask fall over his eyes. He was barely controlling his own actions, an he figured that because Tyki's attacks were Dark Matter, his Innocence was responding to the opposite of itself by directing Allen; something similar had happened when he fought off the level four singlehandedly for as long as possible when it invaded the old headquarters. Tyki glanced behind him, muttering a small _'eh?'_

"You're wrong, Tyki," Allen said, his voice stronger then it had been. He was still struggling to stand up, but he eventually pushed his hand off the ground and lifted himself up, the gold chain on his uniform dangling. Tyki looked at Allen in shock, not comprehending how the boy was still able to move around in his condition – then again, he had escaped death, more then once, when Tyki had tried to annihilate the exorcist. The room was still freezing, and even with the added warmth from his cowl, the biting air still plagued him.

"Tyki, how's the battle?"

A checkered door suddenly appeared, and Allen watched as Road came in on Lero, the pink umbrella crying out something to the twins that followed in behind. Jasdero walked over to the unconscious Link, kicking him the side when the blonde didn't respond. Anger rose in Allen as his Innocence pushed him forward, effectively gathering enough distance to knock the blonde headed twin away from Link.

"Stay away," he murmured, his mind still spinning. Link began to stir, and Allen knelt down, not worried about being snuck up on due to his cowl. Link blinked a few times before rubbing his head, and Allen helped him up, the latter staring at the four Noah that were all gathered in one room. Devitto's voice carried throughout the room suddenly, and Allen glared.

"Why isn't he a Noah yet?"

Tyki rolled his eyes, but before he could attack Allen, the cursed boy grabbed his wrist and quickly activated his sword, lunging forward and parrying the attack in the middle of the room.

"He's pretty badly injured," Road whispered, watching her family and her favorite exorcist battle it out. The stone floor was covered in Allen's blood, and more began spilling as he pushed to his limit, his wounds losing too much blood to be considered healthy. The room was filled with electricity as Allen fought back forcefully, both him and Tyki using their strength, but Allen felt himself fighting back to an extent that caused the injury on his chest to open up even more, the blood leaking through the bandages that Tyki hadn't bothered to reapply right.

"Even if you make it out of this alive," Tyki started, jumping backwards and disconnecting the fight. "You'll die eventually from the amount of blood you lost."

Allen narrowed his eyes, leaning on his sword for support as the world continued to dance fretfully in front of him. Tyki walked over, and a split second before Allen lifted his sword completely, Tyki passed through Allen's human hand, clenching his fist as Allen screamed in pain, the flesh being ripped open; Tyki took the opportunity to push the half-risen sword through Allen, not forgetting the Noah's hatred for Innocence as he quickly removed his hand from the sword before it could do damage.

"That should awaken the Noah completely," Tyki said, and Allen's eyes widened, his heart seeming to stop and skip once he realized what had just happened. Link seemed to realize this too, for he ran forward, removing Allen's Innocence and throwing to the ground, pushing the injured exorcist up against the wall. As soon as Allen connected with the stone behind him, the door opened once again, revealing the other three exorcists who had been lost in the demented area. Link ignored them, trying to get Allen back under control, but his skin was beginning to fade to a familiar color, his eyes flashing in a way that caused a shiver to travel down Link's spine.

"Allen!" Lenalee yelled, attempting to run forward and help Link, but Road quickly jumped off of Lero to block her path.

"He's one of us," she started and the twins – who were holding hands, Kanda noted again – walked behind her, the three of them intent on blocked the exorcists' path.

"Get out of my way!" Lavi yelled, enlarging his hammer and intent on blasting them with fire. Jasdero laughed as he lifted up his gun along with Devitto, and Lavi was blasted backwards with ice as he hit the wall. Lenalee jumped upwards, her goal to catch them off guard by bypassing them completely, but Road expected this, and she called her candles as the surrounded both Lenalee and Lavi.

"Tch, this is ridiculous," Kanda said, and he pushed Road out of the way, rolling his eyes as he grabbed Jasdero's gun and threw it across the room. "You guys are annoying. Now move."

The samurai pushed the two apart, the twins to much in shock to actually respond in time. Kanda ignored Road as came up beside Link, watching Allen carefully as the Noah began to awaken.

"What happened," Kanda demanded, unsheathing Mugen and pointing it directly at Road as she began to walk up behind him. The stoic exorcist didn't bother glancing behind him, waiting for a confused Link to answer.

"He was stabbed by his own Innocence."

"How do we stop it?"

"I… I don't know," Link responded, still holding Allen against the wall with his arm strung against Allen's chest, his other hand giving him support by being pressed against the wall. Allen's Innocence deactivated, returning to his arm; it slowed the transformation slightly, but Link could tell that Allen was still battling within himself.

"Walker, knock it off! You're _Allen Walker,_ not the Fourteenth!"

He figured it may have been a desperate attempt, but he didn't care; Komui had asked him to protect the boy in front of him, and although he was supposed to be reporting any treacherous or suspicious activities from the exorcist, Link found that he was trying to save Allen from himself. Allen, though, was too lost in the darkness, and he struggled to push away the cold feeling that had taken over his body; he had no control, and he wasn't entirely sure what was happening. The voices around him sounded like they were coming from a badly working golem, the voices blurry and out of focus.

"Do something!" Lenalee cried, the striped, sharp candles surrounding her threateningly. She wanted to push them away, but she knew that if she made one move, Road wouldn't hesitate to pierce her completely and kill her; she wouldn't be able to help Allen at all then. Lavi activated his Fire Seal, effectively melting the ice before he landed skillfully on the ground, destroying the candles that surrounded him and Lenalee. Road smiled, walking over by Jasdero and Devitto as they blocked the exorcists' path once again.

"Lavi, don't you think you should tell Allen what you saw?"

"What is she talking about?" Lenalee asked, glancing to a nervous and enraged Lavi. The look on his face was borderline frightening, and Lenalee placed a hand on his shoulder, a bad time to lose control – Allen was currently fading and the Fourteenth was taking his place.

"He just witnessed something – "

Before Road could finish, something gold flew into the room, landing on Allen's head as it bit his scalp. The occupants of the room watched in silence as Timcanpy attempted to stop the transformation, but even the golem – which had once belonged to Cross, who knew more about the Fourteenth then Allen could ever hope to – was unable to do anything.

"Bookman watched Allen's past."

_What?_

That seemed to reach Allen as Kanda and Link both glanced at the red head, slightly shocked; Lenalee tightened her grip, but she wasn't angry and neither were Kanda and Link. Lavi glared at the small Noah as he readied to attack, but a coughing stopped him, Allen struggling in Link's grip. His white hair – which was tinted red in some places due to the blood – was slightly curled and his eyes were spotted with gold, but his skin seemed to begin to fade into a pale color once again, his eyes unfocused as he tried to regain his surroundings.

"It wasn't of my own free will. I didn't have a choice," Lavi said quietly, lowering his Innocence. Lenalee smiled a bit, shaking her head and causing her short hair to dance around her face.

"It's not, and Allen will understand that. As for right now – "

"Enough, from all of you," Tyki announced, signaling the Tease to surround all the exorcists in the room. "One move and you'll all be eaten alive."

Lavi glared at the Noah, the amount of Tease ridiculously high; he hadn't had first hand experience with the butterflies, but he knew Allen had, and the feeling of skin being eaten was obviously not pleasant. Lenalee's grip on Lavi's shoulder was tight, and Kanda seemed to be having doubts about attacking as well. Link removed his arm from Allen, catching the exorcist as he fell forward; despite his blood loss, he was still coherent, and he narrowed his eyes at the Tease as they mocked them. The cursed boy sighed, causing the exorcists to glance at him and the Noah to watch amused. Allen pushed Link away, his hair creating a white curtain as he stood up, his hands grasping the wall for the little support it offered. He smirked before he activated his Innocence, looking up and attacking all the Tease that threatened them.

"Crown Belt!"

Multiple pieces of white flew throughout the room, his Innocence activating in a way it did the first time he ever used Crowned Clown – he had his Innocence return to him while protecting the members of the Asian branch, including Bak and Fou, against the level three, and it seemed as if it was no different this time, his cowl branching off around the room and destroying the Tease. Lavi pulled Lenalee downwards, trying to avoid getting hit by Allen's Innocence. Allen released his breath, calling his Innocence back to him as it returned into a cowl, the purple and black butterflies flying in the air for a few more seconds before littering the ground and covering the stone. The room was silent, and Allen smiled, lifting up the silver mask. His body had passed the point of pain, numb filling the void; his body was still weak however, and he was beginning to doubt if he'd get out alive. Once he felt his knees go weak, he crumbled to the ground, Kanda and Link stepping in front of him as Tyki appeared in front of him with lightning speed. Road attacked Lavi, and the twins decided to take on Lenalee; however, the room began to crumble, and Road looked around in thought.

"Lero, let's go!"

"I guess it's time to leave," she started, creating a door. Link ran forward, producing what looked like a set of cards, intent on bounding one of the Noah, but Road sent a candle his way, and Lavi had to intersect and pull Link out of the way before it hit.

"This isn't over, exorcists," Tyki started, Road and the twins already gone through the odd shaped door. "Wait for further instruction if you want your friends back."

And with that, he passed through the door, shutting it behind him as it disappeared. Lavi began to panic, their only escape route gone.

"Lavi, it's okay," Allen started, his Innocence still activated as he beckoned for Lavi, Link and Lenalee to join where him and Kanda were. "It's an illusion. It's not like the ark. Once the room collapses, we'll be back outside."

As Lenalee nodded, her and Lavi ran over to the white haired exorcist, and Allen created a protective shield around the five of them, waiting for the room to crumble so it would fade away. Timcanpy was still resting on his head, seeming relieved that its master wasn't a Noah yet. They were silent for a few moments, the only sound was rock hitting rock, and Allen could hear the glass shatter as the entire mirror fell into pieces; it filled him with a sense of false relief. Finally, the cold air disappeared, and was replaced with a cool wind that winter produced. Allen deactivated his Innocence, the white cowl and silver mask disappearing as he collapsed, to tired to keep standing. His body felt weak, and his head was far to light to be considered alright; the others seem to catch on to this, Kanda lifting him back up a second before he hit the ground.

"Jesus Christ, moyashi, this is becoming too common."

Allen attempted to smile, but the snow kissed ground and the peak of moonlight faded from his view as he succumbed to the darkness he had tried so hard to fight off.

ii.

Allen groaned, his body immediately racked with pain as he opened his bloodshot eyes. His head was pounding and his chest was aching something fierce; the remnants of sleep still caressed him, but he waved it off, rubbing his closed eyes to try and ward off some of the intrusion. The room he was in was light, the sky outside white with clouds as flakes fell gently to the glass panel and piled up among the smooth surface. His wounds were bandaged tightly, and memories of what had happened before invading his mind and sending a shockwave of worry and guilt course through his being. Someone sat down beside him, the bed sinking as Allen attempted to sit up.

"So, you're awake. How do you feel?"

Allen yawned, opening his eyes completely to see Lavi looking at him, reserved.

"_Bookman watched Allen's past."_

"Hey Lavi," Allen said, smiling at the sight of his companion. He looked relatively unharmed, but Allen knew better.

"What happened?"

"Only my stomach and back are hurt; a lot less then you. You lost a lot of blood, Allen. Yet you sill managed to pull through. Kanda carried you back, again, and we bandaged you up. So, back to my previous question, how are you feeling?"

Allen's smile began to drop at Lavi's tone; he seemed to be hiding something, and although Allen had a feeling he knew what it was, it didn't help the situation at all. The cursed exorcist clenched the blue bed sheets, the hotel room not as welcoming as it had been before. His voice was quiet as he spoke; although he would have rather to avoid the conversation, he knew it would have to come up eventually, and Allen didn't feel like having a space in between him and his comrade, not when there was a war going on. They couldn't afford a rift in between any of them, and Allen didn't want Lavi feeling guilty for whatever he saw.

"I don't blame you, Lavi," he started, looking at the red head. "But please tell me what you saw."

Lavi looked away.

"You should blame me… I couldn't look away, Allen. I'm sorry."


	22. Chapter 22

Well, here's chapter twenty-two! I had to think a bit more for this chapter, but once I started, I couldn't stop. I really enjoyed reading all of your reviews! And to Accountless, thank you for your review! And you were right; my mind works faster then my fingers, therefore, sometimes I skip even the most obvious of mistakes. I do try and edit, but it takes me quite a bit of time, which would mean, the chapters would come out a lot less frequently. Once I finish this story, I am going back to edit it for all the mistakes and completely polish it, though I do try and catch as many as I can when I write it the first time. I'm glad you can overlook that though! XD Anyways, since I left it at a sort of cliffhanger (I didn't even realize I did!), here's the next installment! Expect chapter 23 soon, especially since the holidays are coming up; that means more time to write! Enjoy, and drop a few words before you exit? :3

* * *

22.

[destruction]

_It was ironic that it was in death that he looked the most alive._

_

* * *

_i._  
_

It was becoming difficult to tread lightly. The young exorcist who sat so close, turmoil obvious in his single emerald eye – Allen didn't know what to do. He wasn't angry, he wasn't disappointed; or that's what he thought. He had no reason to be angry at the older teen – it wasn't by choice that he witnessed the cursed past that was Allen Walker. Said boy looked away and sighed, his eyes grazing the frozen window that was slowly piling up with cold kissed flakes on the sill, the dim light shimmering slightly as it attempted feebly to warm up the cold atmosphere that had settled over the pair.

"I don't blame you, Lavi. I really don't."

And once again, the redhead said nothing, unmoving as he sat watching the chipped wall with navy paint. Allen couldn't fathom what was going through his mind, yet he had a feeling he could, especially if it was his own childhood that was playing like a broken record in the bookman's head. This caused another weak sigh to escape his slightly frozen and terribly pained lips, his eyes clouding with pain that his injuries refused to let up from. The bed wasn't comfortable, and the blue, tangled sheets were bunched in his fists as Allen tried desperately to hold onto the shred of consciousness he had. Lavi's voice broke his trance, his monotone words catching the white haired boy off guard.

"Road had put me in your memories. I didn't even know she could do that," he began, his eye unfocused, his red strands falling loosely around his face without a headband to hold them back. "But she did. At first, I didn't want to watch. I didn't want to intrude. But as she continued to play them, I couldn't help but want too…"

Lavi's breath was slightly uneven, Allen noted, and the former shook his head before standing up, his black shirt wrinkled slightly from the sitting position he had been in. He attempted a smile at the younger boy, but even Allen could tell it was forced; it left him to really ponder what exactly Road had showed him, and if Allen was correct, it was when he first met Mana.

"You know," Allen started, pushing the somewhat heavy blanket away from his body, his hands trembling slightly when he saw his heavily bandaged and bloodstained chest. He was still in his uniform bottoms, but they were torn in some places, and Allen instantly recalled his battle with Tyki. "What she showed you might not have been real, correct?"

Lavi seemed to have thought of this as he shook his head, signifying that it was far from illusionary.

"It seemed too real for it not to be. Although, it was hard to believe at first; but as I watched…"

Allen furrowed his brows, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and ignoring the amount of pain the jostling caused his chest. His body was bruised, and he could tell by the amount of stiffness that seemed to cushion his muscles whenever he moved. Lavi just watched, looking as if he wanted to reach out and stop the injured exorcist from moving around so much – but he was hesitant, almost as if he was afraid to touch Allen. The general lack of forwardness coming from the bookman in training was worrying Allen to a large extent, and he couldn't figure out how to reach Lavi and convince him what he saw was all right, that Allen didn't blame him. Yet even as he tried to convince himself of this, there was a nagging feeling echoing in the back of his mind, stirring emotions he would have rather stayed down.

_It's not his fault – it was Road who made him watch. So why does it affect me this much?_

"It's because it was still your privacy, your memories, that were watched," Lavi said quietly, almost as if reading Allen's mind – or his facial expression he tended to make sometimes when thinking about something deep enough. "No matter who watched them, you'd hold some kind of anger, frustration… maybe a bit violated, right?"

The cursed boy blinked, having the urge to nod, yet not wanting to give into the fact that he was harboring some feelings against Lavi.

"Let me put it this way, then," Allen began, choosing his words carefully as he put his finger to his chin, lowering his head in a sign of thought. The snow outside began to transition over to icy droplets, the frozen water hitting the window noisily. "I'm not angry at you – I know it wasn't your fault. And you seem more upset then I do, really. That's why I'm asking. What did she show you?"

"I…" Lavi sighed, scratching the back of his head. He looked up towards the ceiling, placing both of his hands behind his head in his usual stance – the sad part, Allen thought, was that he hadn't seen that in a long time, not with everything going on.

_We still haven't gotten Krory and Chaoji back yet…_

"Anyways, our main concern right now is coming up with a new plan," Lavi began, startling Allen out of his thoughts. "However, we can't do anything just yet, not with every single one of us injured."

Allen's pale eyes widened; having been on the verge of unconsciousness and wakefulness after getting run through by his own Innocence, he hadn't seen how bad the others were injured.

"Lavi, is everyone all right?"

The red head nodded, his lips twitching downward, showing something else was bothering him.

"Lenalee's arms were pretty badly burned, but nothing a bit of cream and bandages couldn't fix. She's also got a large bruise on the side of head thanks to Devitto, I think. Or was it Jasdero? Either way, we're going to get them back. Kanda's injured, but he won't say where, and he took care of it himself. 'Regeneration abilities' my ass – sometimes I wonder about that guy…"

_"I realize that. I'm still regenerating, so there's nothing to worry about – "_

_"Nothing to worry about? You're healing slower, and you had your Innocence broken! This isn't like you, Kanda. Ever since the Ark. What happened then?"_

Allen's stomach began to twist painfully, the blood draining from his face as he remembered the conversation between Komui and Kanda he had overheard.

"…And Link was pretty badly hurt too. He wouldn't say exactly what happened, but his wrists had some kind of circle like pattern around them, except it wasn't ink – "

"It was carved into his flesh. I doubt it was purposeful that it looked like a pattern. It was the Tease," Allen quickly interjected, feeling slightly guilty that Link had suffered what Allen wished never existed.

"You have the worst out of all of us, Allen," Lavi said quietly, taking a seat beside the younger boy tentatively. Although the earlier conversation had been subtly dropped, both of them knew the conversation wasn't over. "It was a bad idea to send you out when you were hurt in the first place, but now the wound on your chest is deeper, and a lot worse. Not to mention, you took a hell of a beating from Tyki."

"It's not the first time," Allen said, attempting a bit of humor in the seemingly grim situation. Lavi smiled slightly, though it was empty and didn't reach his eye.

"Well, right now, we just have to wait – "

Lavi was interrupted by a familiar, shrill sounding noise and the appearance of the telltale wheel. Allen quickly covered his left eye as a reflex, the movement paining him slightly. There was no akuma that he could see, yet his cursed appendage refused to let up, and the stinging it produced was beginning to drive him back into the darkness he had just emerged from. Lavi was unsure of what to do, settling with pulling Allen's shaking hand away as he tried to get the young boy's attention. He was startled when blood seemed to gather at the corner of Allen's eye, attempting to escape from underneath the skin it swam under. After a few seconds, Allen gasped, standing up quickly; this caused a haze of dizziness to assault him, but he ignored it, grabbing his blackened wrist with his human hand. Before he could activate, however, Lavi clamped his own hand onto Allen's, trying his damndest to keep the wounded exorcist in control.

"Allen, what is it? Are there any akuma coming?"

Said boy nodded, grabbing his eye once again when it wouldn't deactivate itself.

"How many?"

Allen didn't get a chance to answer before the door suddenly burst open, revealing a disgruntled Lenalee, out of breath and a worried look on her face. Her arms were bandaged, and a bruise decorated the side of her pale features with a dark red cut entwined in the middle. Her exorcist uniform was hidden beneath a long, hooded overcoat that flowed over her shoulders. It wasn't long before Kanda and Link were behind her; Kanda was glancing behind him, Mugen unsheathed and ready to fight. A familiar golden golem was flying around Link, and Allen blinked a few times, not sure why Timcanpy wasn't in here with him to begin with. The female exorcist ran over beside Lavi, her boots activated and itching to attack.

"Allen, you need to get out of here – "

"No," he quickly interrupted, his hands fighting Lavi's to try and disassemble himself from the bookman's grip.

"There must be thirty or forty heading this way! We can't explain right now – "

"Walker, let's go," Link said, cutting off Lenalee when a loud explosion sounded downstairs. The sound of wood cracking carried up into the small room and a thought suddenly occurred to the white haired boy that was still struggling to get Lavi's grip off of his human hand.

"How many people are here?"

"No one, idiot," Kanda quickly replied, shutting the door. "We expected something like this. No one is here except us, and _you_ need to get out of here. And make it quick, we don't have time to stall."

"I'm staying to fight – "

"You're in no condition to fight," Lavi said as Link walked over; the bookman let go of Allen's wrist to grab his Innocence, pointing it towards the door once a particularly loud breaking noise floated into the room. The black hammer quickly enlarged, and another crash sounded from downstairs. Allen was lost as to what exactly was going on – but what he did know was that there was a large horde of akuma around the area, and more coming in. The door began to split, and the occupants of the room all stared at the door, waiting for the inevitable to happen. Allen took the opportunity to try and activate his own Innocence, but Link quickly stopped him, grabbing both of his arms and twisting them so they were trapped behind his back. Allen blinked, not entirely sure what had just happened, before looking behind him.

"Walker, let's _go_," Link said forcefully, opening the window – thankfully, the distance downwards wasn't very steep, and a blanket of white snow had piled up against the side of the abandoned building. Allen tried to remove himself from Link's grasp, but the blonde was intent on keeping Allen from activating; the crack on the door grew slightly, and Lenalee turned around to smile at the two.

"We'll be fine Allen, and we'll explain everything later."

"But – "

Kanda sighed in annoyance, stomping over to the white haired boy with a murderous glare on his slightly bruised face.

"Would you just fucking go already?"

Before Allen could argue again, the blue haired samurai quickly smashed Mugen against his head, the younger boy falling close to unconscious as he slumped against Link. His eyesight was dark, and spots were beginning to cloud anything he had been able to see before. He could faintly hear the voices of his comrades, but they were blurry and sounded like static, like when he had struggled to contain the Fourteenth.

"…Go back to the hotel we stayed in originally, all of our suitcases are there. Also, it's far enough away from here."

"Yes, be careful. And thank you, Kanda, for making my job harder – now I have to _drag_ Walker there – "

"Not my problem, now hurry up."

Allen could barely process someone letting his arms go, and although his limbs were free, he wasn't coherent enough to activate his Innocence, let alone grab onto something else to steady himself. Someone – he figured it was Link – wrapped his arm around Allen's waist, while Allen's Innocence arm was slung over Link's shoulder so they could walk with more ease. And suddenly, the warm room had disappeared, and the air was replaced with biting chills that bit through Allen's skin and his only form of clothing – his uniform bottoms that were barely warm enough to sustain the winter touched weather outside.

"Here," Link said quickly, wrapping something warm around Allen's naked chest, the piece of material vaguely feeling like the overcoat Lenalee had been wearing earlier. "Walker, can you move on your own, or are you still out of it?"

Said boy blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog that had plagued the forefront of his mind. It wasn't an easy task, and it was becoming a chore to try and focus on the area around him instead of giving into the darkness that was offering a way to escape the pain. After a minute or two, Allen rubbed his un-cursed eye, succeeding in gaining his bearings to a certain extent. His eye was still trying to detect the akuma, but Allen was thankful that all the demons were coming in from the other side, seemingly no idea that he had escaped – Allen himself didn't like the idea, and he would have preferred to have stayed and helped Lenalee, Lavi, and Kanda.

"Come on, Walker, we have to go!"

Allen nodded, quickly standing up with help from Link, before the two of them headed towards the smaller building that was a good few streets away in the odd positioned village. Timcanpy was following close behind, the golem seeming to look around as they made their way. The cursed boy took one last look behind him before speeding up his pace, concentrating on staying awake as he ignored the burning that was spreading throughout his body.

"There's one up to the left," Allen said once they neared a crossroad, and Link sighed, heading to the opposite direction.

"Then we go right."

ii.

"You're hiding something from me."

"I'm doing no such thing."

"Yes, you are," Allen quickly replied, scrutinizing the older male as he sat on the opposite bed, Link's eyes boring into the injured exorcist in front of him. They weren't sure if it was by luck or not, but the two of them had made it through the city, only running into a few akuma that Allen quickly took care of. It had felt odd to activate his Innocence, a slight shock coursing through his body when he had summoned his sword. When they had returned to the hotel they were previously in, they found their room's untouched, black suitcases situated at the end of each bed with the clasps tightly shut. The bed sheets had obviously been changed, and Allen had taken a peek into Lavi and Kanda's room, finding nothing out of place or out of the ordinary. Once assuring himself that everything would be okay, Allen had taken a seat on the edge of his bed, running his fingers through his hair repeatedly until Link calmly placed his own hand over Allen's, glaring at the younger boy, before removing his limb's position and taking a seat opposite of Allen on his own bed. The cursed exorcist tightened the overcoat around him, the gray material feeling foreign under the tap of his fingers; Timcanpy was seated on top of his head, content with the nest of white hair that it hadn't slept in a while.

"No, I'm not."

"Then why wouldn't you let me stay to fight?"

"It would have been suicide, Walker," Link said sternly. "Despite what you may _think_, we do not send out exorcists on missions that have a _ninety nine percent_ chance of _killing_ the exorcist. You were allowed on this mission in the first place because we knew you'd be able to handle yourself – however, after your fight with that Noah, the wound on your chest wouldn't have allowed you much offense or defense on the battlefield – "

"Yet we ran through a demon infested village just to get back here, where I highly doubt we're safe – "

"We're safer then we would be over there."

Allen sighed, dropping his head in his hands as the stress of the situation became a bit much. The constant worry for his friends was prominent, and he couldn't help but think of what one of the akuma had done to him when he had the encounter with Tyki a month prior.

_Mana, dead, on the ground with a puddle of crimson surrounding him far too fast._

_Cross, gone, the only evidence of his presence of being there was the large red stain on the wall and the broken pieces of Judgement. _

Although those two events had already happened, they still crossed his mind, causing a shiver to run up his body as he remembered those two days that each had happened.

_Kanda, life draining swiftly and surely as Lavi's breathing stopped, Lenalee crying and alone._

That image particularly made him feel sick – considering it was the three of them taking on an entire horde of demons, it seemed possible that Allen would stumble upon that scene, no matter how much he denied it. He knew the three of them were strong enough to take on the akuma, yet something held him back from fully believing that, and he wasn't sure what. It could have been the fact that all three of them were injured, including Kanda, and that could possibly hinder their fighting.

_That's not true, _Allen mended. _They're more then capable then taking on the akuma – we took on the Noah when we were in bad shape on the Ark. _

"_Boy, what you saw was the past and what could – will – happen. Does it scare you?"_

Tyki's dark voice seemed to caress his mind, adding onto the torment the images produced. He groaned as a wave of pain washed over his chest, and he tenderly put his hand over the wound, trying to push away any negative thoughts – but as hard as he tried, he still felt guilty for not fighting with them, despite the three of them pushing him onward to escape.

"Allen, are you all right?"

"Hm?" Allen mused, looking upward to his observer. Link's face was paler then usual, and Allen noted that the Central worker seemed to be having doubts as well.

"You were… never mind. Why don't you try and get some sleep? The others shouldn't be too long…"

Allen nodded, removing Tim from his head and placing it on his pillow as he laid down; although the prospect of sleep was inviting, it was hard to give into the growing demand of his body to relax, not when three of his comrades were currently fighting. Link seemed to realize this, but he said nothing as he stood up and pulled down the curtain on the white washed window, covering the race of droplets that were plastered onto the glass. Once there was little light in the room, Link laid down on his own bed, not bothering to climb under the sheets. Allen found himself watching the ceiling absentmindedly with his hands folded over his chest, not paying attention to the little chips or white dots that littered the burgundy roof. A thought suddenly occurred to him, a frown appearing on his lips as he glanced over to Link.

"Link, what are you going to tell Leverrier?"

"About what?" The blonde man asked, genuine confusion in his voice. Allen almost felt like laughing, but instead of a full chuckle escaping his lips, a simple, choke-like sound was the only noise that made it past Allen's mouth.

"You saw what happened. You tried to stop it. The Fourteenth…"

Link coughed, the tension settling over the room in a thick blanket. Although Allen wasn't completely sure on all the details of what exactly happened when Tyki turned his own Innocence against him, he was still certain of one thing: if Leverrier was informed of what had happened, Allen would be, to put it lightly, screwed.

"I don't know, Allen."

Allen slightly smiled, the second time Link used Allen's first name instead of last not bypassing him. The man in the opposite bed seemed a bit more human to the cursed boy as he closed his eyes, thoughts of his friends and the images he had witnessed playing through his mind as he fell into a fitful sleep.

iii.

_Blood. _

_The smell of death – was that what is was? – coating the air in a sick blanket that was impossible to ignore._

_Bodies, so many bodies, and they all bore the symbol that proved to him it was destruction of his family, his home. The sky was coated with crimson as it shone on the darkest parts of the tragedy, and he found himself looking down, his body covered with blood and dirt, and he couldn't tell which was his and which were theirs. _

Did I do this?

_Broken weapons, broken bones, it was all broken, and he wasn't even sure what had happened. But he knew one thing – everyone, everything, was dead, erased from history and deleted from the world._

"_It wasn't you."_

Then why am I still alive? Why am I not with them?

_More blood, so much blood, and he couldn't get the smell of blood and death out of his clothes, his body, the air he was breathing – the air he was breathing was _tainted,_ tainted with sorrow and horror and –_

"_It was him."_

Who's him?

_He could recognize the faces of the broken, he could see Lenalee amongst the rubble with her shoulder length hair messy and out of place as blood dripped from her mouth, and he couldn't bring her back, he _wanted_ to bring her back. There was Lavi, his red hair blending in with the crimson as his face was covered with blood and blood and _death._ Komui, Reever, Bak, everyone…_

_Then there was Kanda, peacefully lying against the wall with the most peaceful look he had ever seen, and it was ironic that it was in death that he looked the most alive._

Please don't leave.

_But they were leaving, the souls that bound them to this world leaving and deleting and being erased. _

You can't leave; I need you here, why are you leaving?

_It didn't matter, no matter how hard he cried and no matter how desperately he tried to call back the dead – would the Earl himself show up and offer s second chance at redemption to bring his friends back? Hadn't he already made that mistake once? What was he thinking…_

I don't know what to do…

_But it was too late, and the world and the scene in front of him seemed to be washed away in a mix of black and red and more black, and he was laughing now, he was smiling triumphantly, and what was he _doing?

It was me…

"_It wasn't you."_

Then why –

"_It was him. The Fourteenth."_

God help me.

_And he screamed, and he screamed, and he screamed, but no one could hear him, and it got to the point where he couldn't hear himself anymore either._

I'm not Allen anymore.

iv.

"Allen, Allen, wake up!"

"Nngh…"

"He won't stop screaming – he's going to end up hurting himself more."

"Allen, please wake up."

The room was to dark, and as he opened his eyes, he found that something wet was making his lashes stick painfully, sleep still calling him even though he was on the verge of consciousness. Someone was screaming loudly, and it was making his migraine worse – until he realized it was _him_ who was screaming, and Allen quickly let his voice die down, confusion settling in as he realized he wasn't in a large pile of rubble with dead friends surrounding him. The same voice still echoed in his mind, and as he tried to repress what he had just witnessed, it did him no good, the remnants of the nightmare still caressing his mind and calling him back into the world of dread. He was barely coherent, yet he could still hear his friend's worried voices, and that caused him to sit up quickly, the sudden movement causing his wounds to scream but he didn't _care._

"What… you're…"

"We're all right Allen, and so are you, so just breathe," Lenalee said worriedly, and Allen felt a cool hand upon his forehead, yet it didn't help the fact that he felt as if he was going to vomit. The images from the nightmare had been vivid and clear, and they seemed to stay in his mind no matter how hard he tried to shake himself away from the chains that were binding him to the devastation he had witnessed.

_It's not real…_

A few minutes of heavy breathing and silence seemed to pass before Allen regained enough of his senses to calm down, his body weary but his mind on high alert. Timcanpy was still seated upon the pillow, though it seemed to watch Allen carefully. The sleep deprived boy vaguely recognized Lenalee sitting on the edge of his bed, her hand still on his forehead as she tried to help him relax. Link was sitting on his own bed like had done earlier, his tired head in his hands as a yawn attempted to escape past his lips; Allen figured the older male had fallen asleep after lying down on the bed, even if that wasn't his original intention. Lavi was standing at the foot of Allen's bed, leaning against the wall with a serious look on his face; even Kanda was in the room, if only barely. He was standing against the doorframe, looking tired and annoyed, but not at Allen himself. The latter quickly took in the sight of his friends – they looked relatively unharmed, save for a few scrapes and cuts. Allen breathed a sigh of relief, the realization that it was extremely dark in the room eventually registering in his mind.

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice sounding raw and scratched. He was a bit embarrassed at the whole ordeal, but the others didn't seem to notice, genuinely concerned for the boy who had woken them up by _screaming._

"It's two o'clock, moyashi," Kanda said, scratching the back of his head and fighting a yawn.

"We just got back a few hours ago," Lavi responded, looking at Allen to Link. "We destroyed most of the akuma. One of them left a message from Tyki, saying that we're to meet at the mansion on the other side of this village tomorrow night."

"We'll discuss it more tomorrow," Lenalee interjected. "For now, we need to get some sleep. _All_ of us."

She put the emphasis on her words and directed them toward Allen, said boy fidgeting under her gaze.

"Good night, and try and get some sleep, Allen. Lavi, Kanda, why don't you guys head to bed, too," Lenalee said, walking around the stoic samurai as she headed to her own room. Kanda followed after her, sending one last look towards Allen before disappearing into the dark hallway, a door opening and shutting quite loudly. Lavi seemed to be debating whether or not to ask Allen what he had seen or to go to bed, and Allen attempted a smile – though he figured it looked more like a grimace – to show that he rather not be asked what he had seen.

"Allen…"

"I'm fine now, Lavi. Go to bed."

The bookman in training nodded slowly before sighing, heading out the door and shutting it lightly behind, throwing a quick _good night _before disappearing completely. Allen was left with his observer, but he doubted Link wanted a long conversation, so he averted his gaze to the blonde man and attempted another smile.

"Walker, please refrain from smiling right now. It looks painful."

The white haired exorcist laughed slightly at this before falling backwards, pulling the somewhat warm blanket around his body as he comforted himself with knowing that he wouldn't need to fall back asleep.

"You should try to get some more sleep, Walker."

"I think I'll be okay for now."

Link sighed before lifting his own blanket up and crawling underneath it, his blonde hair falling out of the loose ponytail he halfheartedly attempted to make. Allen ended up watching out the window from the corner of his eye, the icy rain having reverted back to snow once again.

"Hey, Link," Allen said quietly, not taking his eyes away from the window.

"Yes?"

"You haven't been recording everything I'm doing lately; at least, I haven't seen that clipboard as often as before."

The room was silent for a few minutes, and the nightmare he had witnessed seemed to be coming back, despite his attempts to thwart it so maybe he could get at least a few hours of sleep before the next day.

_They all returned. No one's dead._

"…Go to sleep, Walker."

Allen just closed his eyes, trying his hardest to ignore the echoes of the nightmare that seemed to plague him still, Timcanpy nestling closer to the young boy. Allen smiled slightly, though it didn't meet his eyes.

_Was that just a nightmare? Or am I missing something again? _

Allen sighed before falling into a somewhat peaceful sleep, his mind still teetering on the edge of unconsciousness and the borderline of reality.


	23. Chapter 23

I, being smart and have a habit of doing this, spoiled myself for Allen's story in the Reverse novel (seeing as how I haven't read them yet. Lame.) and needless to say, Allen should be completely-totally-utterly mental. I had the urge to write that somewhere in here. But I didn't. And I'm ignoring Reverse for this story since I don't know all the details… Anyways, I won't give any spoilers – 'cause no one needs that – but here's chapter twenty-three, which was rewritten six times before I finally became somewhat satisfied with it. It's not as long as I hoped, either, but I needed this chapter in here. Next chapter will be the rescue mission! And within the next… few chapters, if you don't hate Leverrier, you will. Trust me. Well, this is a fanfic and totally not canon with the actual plot (in some ways, anyways), so you probably won't hate him. But I hate him, I really do. XD Mainly because I know what he's going to do in this story. (Dun dun dun!) Enough with my rambling – just really needed to get that out there – here is the next chapter, and thank you to everyone who reviewed and the like! I'm so happy you guys are enjoying this story. Leave a response on your way out? :3

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23.

[a new foe]

_"He might be seriously infected – damn it!"_

_

* * *

_i.

"Shut up, Bak."

"But – "

"Shut up for two seconds, would you?"

The blonde Asian Branch leader threw his hands up in defeat, dropping the wooden clipboard on the floor as a result. The deity of the branch just rolled her eyes, her face a perfect mask of concentration as she studied the odd shaped golem in front of her. The lab they were currently in was lighted thickly with white and gray, the black and red communication device sitting unmovable on the inspection table. It's black wings were clipped – thanks to Bak – but it still tried to move, itching to fly away from wherever it had come from.

Which, much to Bak's dismay, was probably the Earl.

"Why the hell did the Earl make a fake golem?"

"I don't know, but maybe if you _shut up_ for two seconds, I could figure something out."

"You're a deity, not a freaking scientist!"

The chief figured he may have gone too far with that statement, but he didn't particularly care as Fou just sighed, exasperated. It had been a long day, and the protection of the Asian Branch was far to tired to deal with Bak's constant complaining. It had happened without warning, they both knew – General Tiedoll, who happened to be on a mission in China anyways, had stumbled upon a seemingly innocent golem; but it had made no sense that an ownerless golem would be outside one of the branches. So the artistic general brought it to the nearest headquarters, which left Bak and the rest of his division to try and decipher why the differently structured communication device wasn't with an exorcist.

Then Bak had come to the conclusion it was _fake. _

But it wasn't fake, because it could work almost as well as a normal golem – but after closely inspecting it, the Asian man had spotted the one shape that separated the Order from the Earl. A crimson stained pentacle highlighted the bottom of the device, and if not for close watching, Bak probably would have passed over it. After recovering from the shock the pentacle mark had caused, he had quickly called the deity of the Asian Branch to the lab, and Fou had rushed in only to find Bak holding a black and red – now broken – golem. After explaining what he had found, Fou decided to inspect herself, but she was left in the dark as well.

"I may not be a scientist," Fou started, roughly hitting Bak on the head. "But I do know that this golem can _not_ be let out – it should be destroyed, but Komui will probably want to see it as well. So get over to the North American Branch!"

Bak rubbed the tender spot, the area throbbing from the force of the attack. He took on a more serious look as he picked the golem back up, turning it over in his hands.

"I've already notified Komui on what's going on. But I don't get it, why does the Earl choose _now_ to make copy-golems? Is he trying to spy on the Order?"

Fou shrugged as she headed towards the door, yawning widely and stretching, intending to get some rest.

"I don't think so… Maybe it's just to spy on the exorcists. After all, it had been near General Tiedoll, right?"

Bak sighed once again, but before he could place the golem back down, the device opened it's mouth and bit him – hard – on his hand, effectively gaining freedom as Bak cursed. Fou just shook her head, picking up the golem as it tried to get away.

"Watch what you're doing, idiot!"

The blonde haired man blinked a few times, his vision blurring as he wiped the blood away from his injured limb. Three teeth marks dotted his skin, and the area was quickly swelling and becoming tinted black.

" – Bak, listen to me!"

"What…"

Fou averted her gaze from the small communicator in her hands to the disoriented chief in front of her. He was looking paler then usual, and the hand he was cradling seemed to be turning black around the wound, spreading out into five thin points – if it wasn't for being so close to him, she would have never been able to make out the pattern.

"Damn it!" Fou yelled, calling out for one of the nearby science workers. Wong had heard her shout, however, and immediately came over, expecting Bak to have broken out into hives or something of the sort. Instead, the guardian just pushed the golem into Wong's hands, grabbing Bak by his white jacket and pulling him towards the hallway with the grey haired man following close behind.

"You stupid idiot, that golem had a pentacle which means it could carry the virus from the akuma!"

Bak didn't seem to hear her, more focused on the strange feeling that was emanating from his swollen hand. Fou sounded relatively angry, but a hint of worry was in her voice as she dragged the Asian man towards the infirmary.

_He might be seriously infected – damn it!_

ii.

He had barely gotten an hour of sleep after the pressing nightmare, yet he still managed to force himself out of bed.

Shaking himself from the remnants of whatever decided to hang onto his sleep deprived mind, Allen had retired to the washroom, excusing himself from Link's presence – who, though refusing to show it, was worried about the injured boy – intending to clean himself up a bit, only to get a view of what he really looked like after the battles and the various images that plagued him. His pale features were decorated with red and pink splotches, the skin around the wounds tender and swollen. Noticeable dark circles hung beneath his eyes, which were looking more lifeless as the minutes ticked on, which caused a shiver of worry to pass through his body. Having fallen asleep in the overcoat, the wrinkled material barely covered his chest as he lifted up a hand to run through his unruly white hair, and he managed to get a good glimpse of the thick bloodstained bandages that wrapped tightly around his chest, torso, and crossing over his back.

Needless to say, he wasn't in good shape, but he dutifully ignored the black figure in the mirror as he brushed his teeth and changed into something simpler for the day, the white shirt and red tie creating a reflection he hadn't seen in a while. His exorcist uniform had been torn in multiple places, and it was becoming a bother to have to replace a uniform every couple missions – sadly, even Kanda's uniform was torn, and the four exorcists would need replacements once they returned.

"Walker, are you almost done?"

Allen jumped a bit at the impatient tone of his observer before opening the door, stepping out into the room to let Link pass by.

"Link," the cursed boy began, grabbing Timcanpy. "What are we – "

"Wait until we're all downstairs."

Allen sighed before nodding and walking over to the bed, closing his suitcase and tucking it underneath the wooden structure, the chance of them staying another night extraordinarily high.

"I wouldn't bother putting that away," a somewhat chipper voice called out. Allen quickly stood up, dusting off his black pants before turning to look at the familiar red head in the doorway. Lavi seemed to have had the same idea as Allen, his outfit consisting of black pants and an emerald green shirt that stood out against the dullness of the room.

"Why not?"

"We might have to get changed again."

Allen laughed nervously, still not caught up on what had happened the previous day. Since his mind wasn't clouded with death, Allen quickly took a once over at the bookman in training, thankfully not spotting any new injuries to his visible skin. Lavi just chuckled, walking into the room and slinging an arm around the white haired boy's shoulder; Allen cringed from the quick shot of pain that travelled from the wound on his chest to the rest of his body.

"Don't worry," Lavi quickly said, removing his arm once he saw the discomfort on Allen's features. "We weren't hurt that bad. Surprisingly enough, all the akuma were low level – "

The exorcist didn't get a chance to finish before Komui's voice echoed in the room, effectively shutting up the red head. Allen blinked as he let Timcanpy go, the golem flying steadily in the air.

"_Allen!"_

"Komui?"

"_Allen, this is important – if you come across any golem – "_

The rest of Komui's sentence was cut off as static distorted his voice, and Allen rubbed his temples at the lack of communication small villages could cause.

"_Allen – "_

"This is ridiculous," Lavi said, scratching the back of his head in thought. Allen nodded his agreement, though the urgent tone in the Chinese man's voice set the young boy's nerves on high alert, the random call seeming suspicious. Link had emerged from the washroom, his face set into one of disdain as he shook his head at the golem; it wasn't Tim's fault, Allen knew, but he was growing increasingly worried as the only noise leaving the golden device was static, Komui's voice still trying to get through.

"Komui," Allen began, signaling for Tim to fly over to a different position. The golem complied, floating closer to the window and emanating a clearer sound. "Is this better?"

"_Allen, if you come across a – " _more static. _" – be careful. They carry blood – "_

The communication died out completely, and Allen slapped his forehead in irritation, the parts of the message he _could_ hear unsettling. A blanket of quiet fell over the group, the only sound coming from Tim's wings flapping insistently. Allen decided to break the tension, tilting his head downward in thought as he paced the room.

"The only message I heard from that," he started, looking at Lavi and Link. "Was something about golems and blood…"

"Hey guys," Lenalee's voice echoed from down the hallway, and the three occupants of the room turned towards the door as the female exorcist walked in, a large smile on her face. "We're meeting downstairs now… What's wrong?"

The injured exorcist smiled before shaking his head, heading towards the door with Timcanpy following.

"It's alright. Komui tried to communicate with us, but the connection died."

Lenalee still looked unconvinced as she walked with Allen. Lavi looked intrigued as he and Link fell in step close behind, the eerie message leaving confusion and suspicion in its wake.

iii.

"Wait, so, Tyki sent a horde of level one and two akuma?"

"Looking for you, but since you were already gone, they became confused and we easily destroyed them all."

Allen groaned, rubbing his eyes at the familiar situation. The point of the assignment they were currently on was to rescue Krory and Chaoji, yet they hadn't even been able to find the missing exorcists, let alone remove them from the Noah's grasp. It was frustrating, to say the least, as the white haired boy sighed, sitting back on the weirdly shaped chair in the small lounge. Kanda was staring out the window, not really paying attention to the discussion that was passing through the other exorcists. Lenalee had informed Allen and Link of what had happened after they escaped – one of the akuma had specifically asked for Allen, but seeing as how that was the demon's only mission, the others became lost and the three exorcists easily took them down. Only one level three had been in their ranks, which caused suspicion and curiosity to rise in Allen.

"They also left a message to go to that mansion on the other side of this village. I think we passed it…"

Lenalee looked to Kanda for support, but the older male just shrugged, obviously not sure what Tyki was talking about either.

"Why does he want us to go there?" Allen asked, still confused.

"We're not sure," Lavi began, poking Kanda and attempting to get him to sit down. Said exorcist just rolled his eyes, slapping the bookman's hand away in annoyance. "But we were told to dress formal. I have a feeling this isn't going to be a normal showdown between exorcist and Noah…"

Link interjected quickly, his body rigid against the burgundy wall.

"Hence why we were told to bring suits, and in Lenalee's case, a dress," he started, and Allen blinked at the use of Lenalee's first name. "Were you told a specific time, by chance?"

"Seven o'clock sharp," Lavi replied quickly, standing up to stretch. He fell silent, and Allen turned around to look in the direction of Lavi's eye sight, but all he found was the clerk at the front desk, her eye lids attempting to close on her as she rested her dark haired head on her arms.

"Lavi, what are you looking at?" Lenalee asked, placing a hand on the red heads arm; he jerked slightly, startled out of his thoughts as he glanced to the female exorcist, laughing sheepishly.

"Nothing, thought I saw something."

"So what are we doing until seven?" Allen wondered out loud, his eyes staring upward in thought. It was barely reaching eight in the morning, which meant they still had a long day ahead of them before they could attempt to rescue their fellow comrades.

"Simple," the quietest of the five of them quickly responded, turning away from the window to look at Allen. "We walk around the village, and attempt to find something of use."

"But what exactly are we looking for?" Link asked, glancing around the lobby. The hotel was basically empty, save for a few travelers, but Allen had a feeling that there was a darker reason behind the lack of people. The village itself was less than crowded, few bodies hosting the amount of houses that lined the multitude of roads and streets. Even the aura around the remote area had begun to trouble the injured boy – the village seemed to be ridden with something negative, giving off vibes that screamed to stay away. He figured it had something to do with the group of Innocence-hating Noah staying somewhere within the town, and it left Allen – and probably the others, as well – on edge.

"Why this place is so densely populated," Kanda replied impatiently.

_He seems angrier then usual… _

"What are you staring at, moyashi?"

"It's Allen, jerk," Allen automatically responded, looking away from the samurai in annoyance.

"Shut it, you two," Lavi intervened. "Yu, stop calling – "

"Call me by that name again," Kanda said dangerously. "And it'll be the last thing you ever do."

iv.

The winter weather outside was becoming rather annoying, Allen realized.

The snow had piled up ridiculously high on the hardened terrain of the village, but the episode of ice touched rain had caused the delicate white flakes to crystallize or melt under the pressure, therefore resulting in a multitude of ice patches that made travelling among the small paths and different streets difficult at best. The sky overhead was a dark grey that was threatening the numbered group with the promise of more precipitation, whether it be thin or heavy, none of them knew. After leaving the hotel – with jackets, obviously – the five Order members had decided to head in the direction Tyki had sent through one of the akuma, attempting to locate this mysterious mansion.

_It's like a game of cat and mouse, _Allen thought. _The Noah are leading ahead, and we have to follow._

"Oi, moyashi, stop for a second."

The cursed exorcist slowed his pace, looking behind him to find the others had stopped. Even Timcanpy had ceased flying, landing instead on Lenalee's shoulder and waiting for Allen to slow in his walking and pay attention to those behind him.

"It's Allen, Bakanda – why did you all stop?"

"There's something following you," Lavi responded, pointing above Allen's head; the latter looked up, finding a black golem that strangely resembled Kanda's. It's black wings were pointed at the end with three points dotted along each, almost like a bat. There was a circular imprint on the front, which vaguely looked like the Rose Cross, but not exactly; another shape seemed to highlight the bottom, so small that the white haired exorcist couldn't make it out. Allen pulled the 'golem' down, grabbing it in his hand as he studied it more closely.

"What would a golem be doing out here with no one – "

"It's not from the Order," Allen interrupted Lenalee, shaking his head. "The Rose Cross is different, and it doesn't seem to be working properly…"

Timcanpy quickly flew over to Allen, knocking the black device onto the ground and attempting to bite it. The exorcist just stared for a few seconds, not entirely sure what his own golem was doing, before bending down and prying the black – and now decorated with bite marks – golem from Tim's sharp teeth, trying not to get bitten in the process.

"Just destroy it then," Kanda responded with a wave of his hand, not interested in the fake machine. "If it's not from the Order, then it doesn't matter – "

"Don't you think we should tell Komui first? Maybe he knows something about it – "

Kanda sighed, grabbing the golem from Allen and intent on smashing it to the ground.

"It's a fake – "

"Walker is right," Link interrupted, removing the golem from Kanda and saving it from being shattering into tiny pieces. However, his grip wasn't tight enough, and the small device quickly flew back over to Allen, attempting to hide in his hood like Timcanpy had done many times before. The others just stared, not entirely sure on what they had just witnessed, before Allen reached behind him, searching for the fake golem and attempting to remove it from his clothes. Once he had a firm enough hand around the circular part, he yanked it out, almost falling forwards in the process as the golem did _not_ want to let go of Allen.

"What the hell…" Kanda muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of Mugen – Allen could only imagine how much Kanda would like to kill the device that was obviously going to be tagging along. Sighing, said exorcist placed the golem in his pocket, the odd device nesting comfortably in the material and not moving at all. Timcanpy didn't seem to like this idea, sitting on Allen's nest of hair and sending off a very angry aura. Allen himself was uncomfortable with the situation, but the five of them continued on anyways, Link keeping an extremely close eye on the boy he was supposed to observing.

_Something about this isn't right. _


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24, ready to go! Not much of a note to put here, other then the next chapter may be a bit delayed; I'm seeing Tron (YES!) Friday, and then having a Christmas movie marathon with my friend Saturday, so I'll only have a bit of time Saturday and some time Sunday to write. Maybe a bit of time tomorrow - it depends on when I get home! XD I'll try and be quick, though. n_n And the poison from the golem will be explained, just not yet. ;D Oh, and at the end of ep. 103 (**spoilers ahead! read at caution if you have not finished the anime!**) there was a scene where the Noah and the Earl were at this mansion place, with a ball and whatnot. That's not where this takes place, but it's something similar. I don't know if that part was in the manga (can't remember…) but anyways. And I tried to keep Krory and Chaoji in character… Well, anyways, thanks to all who reviewed and the like, and drop some words when you're done this chapter? Much appreciated! :3

* * *

24.

[rescue: allen's reflection, part one]

"_I guess… we just keep walking, Tim."_

_

* * *

_i._  
_

The silver buttons easily slipped into their respective holes as Allen worked his fingers in a skilled manner.

_It's been a while since I had to wear one of these._

The clock was ticking constantly, the time nearing six in the evening and any hint of the sun disappearing behind the flurry of grayed clouds and the sheen mist of rain; the night sky was quickly settling over and casting the tiny village into darkness, and the clouds had not dissipated, little light highlighting the foreign streets. After wandering around for a few hours, the five members of the Black Order had come across nothing or no one – the white dusted roads were literally empty, which just continued to set Allen's nerves on edge. Frustrated, they had decided to take a break, eventually coming across a small restaurant that served food of a standard quality – and Allen was impressed to find that he could stomach real food still, although not as much as beforehand.

_Before what…?_

Sighing, he eased the last button through the final hole, smoothing out any wrinkles that may have formed in the deep black jacket. He had changed the bandages around his chest, and Lenalee had insisted that he apply a more thick set to keep the blood from seeping through; since he had to wear a white shirt underneath, he figured it wasn't a bad idea. It still felt weird to be dressing so formal; he was used to dressing _nearly _formal, black trousers and a white dress shirt, but he hadn't worn an entire suit since… sometime when he joined the Order, or around that time frame. Instead of wearing a red neck tie, as per usual, he swapped it in for a simple black neck tie. White gloves were covering both of his hands, hiding his Innocence from view. His white hair was combed neatly, and he had – thankfully – avoided using a mirror, thanks to Timcanpy attempting to help; it wasn't easy, but they had managed to complete the task without _too _much hassle. Even Link had taken on something more elegant then his usual attire – which usually consisted of his Central uniform. A simple black tuxedo that wasn't too overdone was his outfit for the evening, his blonde hair tied into a neat ponytail at the base of his neck. Allen had a feeling the suits weren't going to last if they were going to see the Noah.

"I still don't understand this."

"Pardon?" Link asked, the blonde man turning away from his position against the cool glass to glance at the cursed exorcist. Allen blinked, realizing he had spoken aloud.

"Heh, nothing," he replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck; Timcanpy was seated amongst Allen's hair, and the golem's master could tell it still wasn't happy about having another golem for company. Although it had remained in Allen's pocket, the fake golem hadn't made any moves at all, intent on sticking with Allen throughout the day – the exorcist hadn't a clue on why the golem was so attached, but he wasn't able to inform Komui either, since communication was still lacking around the area. The black device was currently seated on the bedside table beside Allen's bed, seeming to watch him carefully. It made both Allen and Link uneasy, but no matter how many times the watched exorcist had attempted to turn it around or place it somewhere else – that was still in view – the golem always returned to the wooden piece of furniture.

"Perhaps we should try and contact the Chief again."

"Already tried," Allen replied, crossing his arms and pacing the room. "There still isn't a good connection…"

Link nodded, dropping the subject as Lavi knocked loudly on the door before walking in. He was dressed a bit more casually, a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of black pants with a loose, solid red tie hanging around his neck. Once again, he was without a headband, and Allen was beginning to wonder if the bookman had dropped his fetish with them.

"Yo', you guys are ready already?" he asked, leaning against the door frame with a disbelieving look on his face.

"Practice," the other two said in unison, and Allen looked at Link, not sure what to say, before Lavi burst out laughing, shaking his head.

"That's just creepy. Anyways," Lavi said, walking into the room and falling backwards on Allen's bed. "We're leaving in a few minutes. Just have to wait for Lenalee to get ready."

"Where's Kanda?" Allen asked, reflectively looking at the door.

"Huh? Oh, he's gone to go scour the area for any akuma or anything. Apparently he felt like he was being watched."

Lavi didn't seem too concerned, but Allen furrowed his brows, Kanda's behavior different then usual.

"Hey, Allen, you look pale. Are you feeling okay?"

Said boy nodded, though his head was beginning to pound once again, and the air in the room was becoming warmer the longer he stayed in there. Excusing himself, he headed out the door, keen on getting some air before they headed out for their mission. Link followed him at a short distance, giving the younger exorcist some space, and neither were surprised when the black golem followed along as well, Timcanpy itching to try and eat it again.

"Walker…" Link began once they reached outside, Allen giving a curt nod to the tired receptionist before they stepped into the cool night air.

"I'm alright," Allen smiled, reassuring his observer that there was nothing wrong. "Just needed to be outside for a bit…"

Allen knew he hadn't convinced Link, but he wasn't sure what else to say, so he left it at that as he glanced up towards the dark sky, layers of purple and pink hiding over the horizon to show the little bit of sun that was left, although there wasn't much during the day to begin with. The sheen of rain had died down considerably, and only a few droplets managed to touch Allen's skin as he stood underneath them. The clouds were breaking up in some parts, and Allen was able to spot a hint of clean white dotted with gray behind one of them, the moon peeking out as it tried to illuminate the almost-deserted village.

"Why do you think there are so few people here?" Link asked, obviously having similar thoughts to the cursed boy beside him.

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Allen replied, still not taking his eyes away from the night scenery. "But if the Noah are here… Then maybe there weren't any people here to begin with. Maybe they're all akuma."

Link was silent as he processed this idea, not disbelieving it. Allen suddenly laughed, though it was sad as he touched his left eye.

"I can't detect any right now, so I'm probably wrong. But I have a bad feeling about tonight."

"Why's that?"

Allen sighed, his gloved hand still held up to his curse.

"It just seems weird. Why a mansion, especially in a village like this? Krory and Chaoji are probably there, but this whole situation doesn't make any sense. And," Allen continued, dropping his hand to his side. "I doubt we're going to avoid a fight. Tyki wasn't fighting at full strength – I know he wasn't. Which means they're probably expecting another confrontation – "

"Walker," Link interrupted, spotting Kanda in the distance, the black golem flying continuously around Allen. "Try not to let it bother you. We'll get the other two exorcists back."

The white haired boy quickly glanced to Link, slightly shocked at the words that had come from the blonde man's mouth. Normally, Link didn't say those kinds of things – or anything of the sort, really.

"Oi, moyashi, where – "

"It's _Allen,_ for crying out loud! It's not that hard to remember! It's a name!"

Link was silent as Kanda reached them, and Allen was caught between laughing and staring once he saw how the samurai was dressed. Although it was a simple outfit, it was hard to believe that Kanda was dressed so formally – Allen had rarely ever seen him in anything but the standard Black Order uniform or clothes that he trained it. But instead of either, he was wearing a similar tuxedo to that of Allen, except the jacket wasn't done up all the way, and instead of a black tie, he was wearing a dark, navy blue tinged tie that hung around his neck and down – an actual tie, unlike the neck one Allen was wearing. His dark hair was pulled off to the side, yet the side strands were still free as his bangs reached just above his eyes.

It was… different, to say the least.

"…Tch, _moyashi,_" Kanda replied, emphasizing the nickname. "Where are – "

"It's Allen, Bakanda."

" – Lenalee and the rabbit? It's almost seven."

Allen rolled his eyes to being ignored as he glanced to Link, the latter not sure where the other two exorcists were either. Before Kanda could push Allen out of the way to get inside, the door suddenly flung open, revealing a flustered Lavi with a black suit jacket thrown over his white shirt. Allen stared for a few seconds, startled at the sudden presence of the red head.

"Are you ready to go?" Lavi asked quickly, not bothering to close the door as he walked outside.

"Where's Lenalee?" Allen asked, glancing behind him to see if the older female exorcist was following behind.

"She's on her way down, but her golem is gone."

Allen's eyes widened, his gaze drifting to the fake golem that was flying around harmlessly. It didn't seem to have any hostile tendencies, but the fact that a fake one showed up just before a certified golem had been lost…

Timcanpy seemed to have the same thought, the communication device once again attempting to bite the black one, it's sharp teeth chomping down and just barely missing. Allen tried to stop Tim, but as he reached for it's tail, the black golem flew forward and smashed into Allen's face, causing Timcanpy to become angrier and attempt to bite it once again – instead, it had flown straight into Allen's face as well.

"Damn it," Allen muttered, pushing both golems away and rubbing the tender spot on his cheek; thankfully, both golems had missed slamming into the wound on the side of his face, but it still hurt nonetheless.

"That golem is a nuisance. I still say we destroy it," Kanda said offhandedly, grabbing the black golem and exerting a large amount of pressure on it. Link rolled his eyes, prying the device away from the samurai.

"Again, Komui will want to see it – "

"And so we're just supposed to carry it around?"

"We can't leave it be – "

"Both of you," Lavi interrupted, the back and forth becoming irritating. "Shut it, would you?" Lavi grabbed the black device from Link and instantly broke one of the wings. "There, now it can't fly. Now leave it with bean sprout so we can move on."

"It's Allen, Lavi," Allen replied heatedly, the nickname becoming more of a nuisance then the golem – which he placed in his pocket. "Thank you, Bakanda, for starting that."

"No problem, moyashi – "

"It's Allen!"

"Just think, Walker," Link interjected, not really paying too much attention to the conversation. "You'll never forget your name."

Lavi began laughing, and even Kanda smirked a bit, though it was barely there. Allen groaned, feeling outnumbered as he shook his head. He glanced up when Lavi's laughing drowned out, the door bursting open once again – Allen hadn't even realized it was closed – to reveal Lenalee, her short hair hanging loosely around her face. A simple black dress hugged the upper part of her body, flowing downwards once it reached just below her hips and reaching just above her knees. The anklets for her crystallized Innocence matched her black flats, and the spaghetti strap dress was underlined with a pale white under top that had no straps. She wore a black jacket as well, except it was more feminine. Allen had to admit that she looked beautiful – different, because he hadn't seen her this dressed up before – but beautiful nonetheless. Lavi seemed to agree, and Allen caught the red head staring at her with wide eyes; Allen gently nudged him, urging him to get his senses back before Lenalee caught him staring. Even Kanda's eyes were slightly wider then usual, and the cursed exorcist began to wonder if Komui knew what Lenalee had packed for this assignment.

"Sorry, guys!" Lenalee said quickly, her cheeks slightly pink from the stares she was receiving. "I still can't find my golem – but I'm sure it'll turn up later…"

Allen smiled reassuringly, not quite sure how a golem could get away anyways.

"All right," Link replied indifferently, though his voice showed a hint of surprise at Lenalee. Allen bit back a chuckle. "Let's get going."

ii.

"This is…"

"This is it," Allen finished Lavi's sentence, eyeing the lighted house with half interest, half worry. The large building was extravagant, much, much larger then any of the other houses that lined the town – the house itself was located _outside_ of the village, down a road they had missed when they had searched earlier. It was colored bleakly, gray tones and blacks and whites, yet the house seemed to come alive, and a load of people were entering the large building.

Except they weren't people.

_Whirr._

Allen blinked, not expecting his eye to go off, but not entirely surprised either. He stumbled back slightly once he realized that every single person that was heading into the mansion was an akuma, and not a single human stood among the ranks. The majority of the demons were also high level, three and four's with human bodies entering where the Noah were. He spotted one soul that looked completely demolished – more so then a level four, and the ill feeling returned to him suddenly, but he pushed it away, concentrating on trying to get the wheel to disappear.

"Shit…" Lavi muttered, scratching his head as Allen attempted to deactivate his eye to no availability. "Now what?"

_Deactivate already! _

Allen was startled when his eye actually complied, the wheel disappearing; yet he could still see the souls somewhat, and the one soul seemed to jump out at him, the chains bounding the disintegrated spirit.

"Allen," Lenalee interrupted his thoughts, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright? You look like you've – "

"The one soul…" he began, blinking repeatedly to try and clear his mind, shaking his head and disturbing Timcanpy from it's position on top of his head. "It's… It's nothing. Let's just go in."

"Your eye is red, Allen," Lavi said, stepping in front of the cursed boy and grabbing his chin to get a better look. "Almost like… It tried to deactivate, but it didn't completely."

"It's fine, Lavi," Allen replied, smiling and pulling Lavi's hand away to free his face. Lavi didn't look convinced, but he just shrugged glancing behind him to look at the akuma filled house.

"I guess we should get this over with…"

"Tonight," Allen said, his voice stronger. "We rescue Krory and Chaoji."

Lenalee nodded, a smile gracing her face as they began to make their way towards the entrance – before they could even take a few steps, however, a shrill scream filled the air, and Allen covered his ears. He quickly registered that it was the golem making the noise, and he pulled out the black device to stare at it.

"You're a golem… I think. You're not supposed to make noise. What _are_ you?" Allen wondered out loud, mainly to himself. Having seen Allen, the golem quickly quieted down, but the five of them knew that he wouldn't be able to hold onto the device the entire time – he needed to be able to use his Innocence, and trying to watch a golem at the same time wouldn't be beneficial to anyone. Except maybe the Noah.

"Great, now we've got to deal with this thing too," Lavi said, seriously considering Kanda's idea on smashing it to bits. "Maybe Yu was right…"

"What did I say about calling me that, you stupid rabbit?"

"Don't start!" Lenalee shouted, but she quickly covered her mouth when a few passerby's looked their way. Kanda produced a death glare towards them, and they continued on; Allen figured they were probably low level to be scared off that easily.

"Anyways," Allen started; he was beginning to get anxious, and it was bad enough they were basically entering Noah territory – he didn't need a cranky golem, either. "Be quiet, all right?"

He stared at the golem for a few seconds, before placing it back in his pocket, taking a few steps to see if it would actually listen to what he said. Surprisingly, the golem was silent, and Allen breathed a sigh of relief as the five of them treaded across the wet grass and onto the stone walkway. The white, engraved door was wide open by the time they reached it, and most of the akuma/guests had already entered. Allen could tell that the well dressed greeter was also an akuma, for he could faintly make out a soul floating above its head with his mostly deactivated eye. The demon's human form was dressed in a pale peach dress, a white, fur shawl toppling over her shoulders gracefully. Her blonde hair was up in a ponytail and she wore heavy make up – despite being in human form, knowing it was a demon caused Allen's Innocence to twitch, eager to release the soul but knowing he couldn't. Quickly, the blonde demon leaned over, indirectly sending a message to Allen and the others.

"Master Tyki will be down here momentarily, Allen Walker."

Allen narrowed his eyes, looking around the room to try and spot any of the Noah. They entered the actual house, and he was immediately overwhelmed by a strong perfume; the air was decorated heavily with smoke, and Allen fought back the urge to cough, his eyes watering slightly. The large room had a spotless white floor, lined with gray trimmings and patterns. There was a large staircase in the middle, and Allen briefly wondered where it led to. Instead, his eyes caught the sight of a hidden doorway that was off to the side, a shadow cast over the wood, obviously warning anyone to stay away.

_I have a feeling that's where Krory and Chaoji are._

"Come with us," a deep voice sounded, and Allen turned around to see Lenalee being pulled away by two men – demons – who were smiling sickeningly. She looked worried, but she glanced back as Allen made a move to stop them, shaking her head to ward off a scene. More of the demons began to file in, and the room itself was ridiculously crowded, and when Allen turned back around he found that Lavi, Link, and Kanda had been lost to the crowd as well. He tried to ward off the panic – he wasn't sure why he was panicking, anyways – but he couldn't, and the blood drained from his face as the lights became too bright.

"Calm down."

Allen quickly rotated on the spot, finding Kanda looking around with no expression on his face, his dark hair hiding his eyes from view. The cursed exorcist quickly placed a hand over his beating chest, the appearance of his comrade catching him completely off guard. Kanda continued on as if he hadn't almost caused Allen to have a heart attack.

"Don't wander off. The others will be fine – I think I saw Link get carried off the same way as the rabbit."

Allen nodded, the worry beginning to settle in his stomach and the urge to retch backing off. Kanda continued to look around, as if he was trying to memorize the details of the unnecessarily large house.

"Are there any humans here at all?"

Allen shook his head as he glanced around the room, still able to spot the outline of the souls that rested and screamed above their hosts.

"No, only demons. Kanda – there's one soul that's nearly gone, worse then a normal level four."

Kanda quickly looked to Allen, and the white haired boy could've sworn he saw a hint of surprise and shock in the older male's eyes. If he had, it quickly disappeared once Kanda looked away.

"There's also a door over there," Allen shook his head in the direction he was referring to, the wooden door almost blending in with the wall. Kanda spotted it and nodded, having the same idea as Allen had earlier. Kanda quickly grabbed onto Allen's arm, pulling him towards a table that was near the door. A crystal bowl of red punch was sitting neatly on the table, surrounded by cups and various types of food.

_Keeping up with the act? I don't think akuma actually drink this stuff._

"Stay here, don't move."

Allen nodded as the older exorcist swiftly maneuvered around the demons. It wasn't surprising – Kanda was one of the fastest exorcists. Allen glanced around as he tried to spot Lavi, Lenalee, or Link, but none of them were in view, and there were far to many demons to be able to spot specific people, not when they all seemed to look the same. Then a thought occurred to Allen – Timcanpy wasn't on top of his head anymore, and although that was a good thing in this situation, he had no idea when the golem went.

"Oh no," Allen muttered, but before he could begin searching, Kanda returned, the same impassive look gracing his features.

"I can't find them, so I'm assuming the Noah know we're here now. Oh, and I found this," Kanda quickly tossed something golden into Allen's hands, and the latter quickly breathed a sigh of relief, Timcanpy flying over to his shoulder to sit there worriedly. At this point, Allen realized, it didn't matter – everyone in the room knew who he was, and why he was there, so Timcanpy wouldn't have blown his cover anyways.

"Kanda," Allen began, turning his back away from the other occupants of the room. Kanda didn't look at Allen, but the younger boy knew he was paying attention. "I'm going to sneak into that door – "

Before he could finish, the room began to go silent, all noise and talking ceasing as someone walked down the stairs. Allen slowly turned around, already having an idea of who it was, and he wasn't mistaken as a familiar figure made his way into the array of demons, his suit fitting in with the situation for once, his dark hair hanging down his back in an elegant ponytail of curls.

_Tyki._

"Moyashi, go."

"Huh?" Allen quickly looked at Kanda, his eyes wide as he ignored the nickname.

"I said go. I'll head over towards Tyki, and they won't be able to spot you. Find Krory and Chaoji."

Allen stared dumbfounded for a few seconds before nodding, quickly slipping past some of the demons and out of Tyki's line of sight. He watched as Kanda pushed his way through towards the front, effectively drawing the attention of the nearby akuma and Tyki himself. The latter nodded at his awareness to the exorcists being at the location, and Kanda just continued to glare, obviously not keen on being any type of friendly with the Noah. Looking up, Allen spotted a small section with a red curtain hiding the area, but he was able to spot a familiar head of spiky blue hair, and another with blonde.

_Road and Jasdero? So most of the Noah are here, then. If Jasdero is here, Devitto is sure to follow._

Sighing silently, Allen continued to make his way through the crowd, effectively gaining freedom as he reached the door – it was still hidden by the shadow, and Allen realized it was the massive staircase that was causing the black to fall over it. No demons were nearby, so Allen attempted to turn the doorknob, grateful that it moved with ease and the wooden structure moved from its position against the wall. Once the door was opened wide enough for his body to fit through, he quickly snuck in, shutting the door as quietly as possible to conceal his presence. When he turned around to face the new area, his eyes widened in disbelief and slight horror.

The 'area' was a long hallway that seemed to go on endlessly, almost like the one that he had walked on the Ark with his comrades. It was dark up ahead, and the hallway itself was gray and white; there was a light on the roof that was surrounded by a circular indent and a silver trimming. There was a string of lights like that, each one separated as they travelled downwards. There were no doors then the one behind him, but as he made to go forward, he took one last look behind him to find that the door was gone, leaving an empty space in its wake. He was shocked for a moment before shaking himself of his stupor, deciding instead to go forward and worry about the missing door later – he had a feeling it was Road who had destroyed the door. Or made it disappear; one or the other. His footsteps seemed to echo in the corridor, sending a chill down his spine and causing Timcanpy to fly up ahead, almost to safe guard it for Allen.

"I don't know if this leads anywhere," Allen started, talking to Timcanpy; he knew the golem couldn't respond, but he chose to ignore that aspect. "It's possible this is a trap. But I have a feeling that Krory and Chaoji are somewhere in here. I can't explain it."

He wasn't sure if he was talking to reassure himself, or just to fill the silence, but he continued on anyways, glancing around every so often as if expecting something – or someone – to jump out at him.

"I just hope the others are alright. I'm surprised Kanda said what he said, though… He's been acting strange lately."

Tim seemed to nod, as if agreeing, and Allen smiled slightly.

"And Link… He's strong, but against a Noah? We can barely take them on, and we're exorcists… I just hope Kanda was right and Lavi and Link managed to end up going the same way."

Allen rubbed his temples, the migraine coming back as the worry for his friends began to resettle in his mind, his gut twisting at the thoughts that seemed to run through. The temperature of the air was beginning to drop, and the cursed boy almost felt like he was back outside as the cool atmosphere assaulted his bare skin, biting through his clothes. He remembered what had happened outside with his eye, and he attempted to reactivate it, relieved when the familiar _whirr_ echoed in the corridor and the grey wheel appeared.

"Well, at least my eye is in good shape still," Allen continued to speak to the silence. "There are no akuma around here."

After walking for what seemed like hours – but was really only ten minutes – Allen finally came across a door off to the side, the silver structure almost blending in with the walls of the corridor. Pushing on it, he took a deep breath, stepping through the threshold to find a very surprising room. Instead of walls, mirrors filled the void, and before he could walk right back through the door to escape the room, the silver disappeared and he was trapped. It was just like the previous corridor, except all he could see was his own pale and nervous reflection with Timcanpy flying silently beside him. This was what he had tried to avoid, yet now, instead of one mirror in a washroom or a bedroom, he was completely surrounded by the looming shadow that caused him nightmares.

"I guess… we just keep walking, Tim."

Despite the strength the words should have caused, Allen's voice had wavered slightly, his eyes seeming to catch every angle and every light strand that affected the room, and the dark shadow seemed to be following him. In his reflection, he could see the suit he was wearing hanging off of him slightly, as if he had lost weight since the last time he wore it.

_I haven't eaten much lately…_

His face was a pale color as he continued onwards, the red cuts standing out on his face, and a small, purplish bruise had formed directly beside the wound the Tease had made, thanks to the two golems that were currently on his person. At the thought of the golem, Allen reached into his pocket, pulling out the black device and watching it carefully as he continued to make his way.

"Allen!"

Said boy blinked, looking up ahead as he spotted someone he hadn't seen in far too long.

"Krory…?"

As he squinted his eyes, he could make out the slightly beaten form of a familiar vampire-like exorcist, and Allen smiled as he began to run. Another person was beside him, and Allen recognized it as the form of Chaoji. Both exorcists looked tired and worn out, and when Allen finally reached them, he slipped the golem into his pocket. His chest was aching fiercely, and the effort he had made to ignore the pain from the large wound on his chest finally collapsed as he did, ending up on his knees as he willed the burning to disperse. The young exorcist hoped that the blood hadn't seeped through all the bandages, but he couldn't tell, and at the moment, he couldn't find it in himself to care. He had finally found Krory and Chaoji – the former kneeling down and placing a hand on Allen's shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Allen nodded, glancing up; Krory's face was relatively uninjured, only one or two small cuts formed on the skin. Krory smiled at the younger exorcist, and Allen was reminded of the time Krory had thrown him into a wall. Hard.

"We're not injured, Allen. We were both knocked unconscious, and once we awoke, we were in here. Disorienting, at first, to say the least – but we weren't injured. Just trapped."

"Don't know how we managed to survive," Chaoji continued on, scratching the back of his head – Allen could tell Chaoji was still hesitant around him. "We had very little food, and it was maddening staying in here. It's like a maze!"

"Anyways," Krory finished, helping Allen up on his feet. "You look like you've been through worse then we have. How did you find us?"

Allen smiled, nodding his thanks.

"This is actually one giant mansion. Lavi, Lenalee, Kanda, and Link are all here too, but I lost sight of everyone but Kanda once we entered. It's full of akuma; the Noah are here, too."

Krory nodded, obviously not to surprised. Allen looked around, and realized they were still in the corridor with mirrors – he spotted something up ahead, and it vaguely resembled a door. Krory and Chaoji glanced in Allen's line of sight as well, and they both looked confused once they spotted the same thing Allen had.

"That wasn't there earlier," Chaoji said, blinking dumbly.

"I have a feeling it's Road that's doing it," Allen replied, walking slowly towards the wooden structure. It looked like the door that he had entered in; before he could grab the handle, the familiar shriek sounded, and Allen cringed as he pulled the black golem out of his pocket once again, the fake device shutting up at the look from Allen. Krory walked over, looking at the black golem as if it was an akuma.

"We found it earlier, but it's a fake," Allen filled him in, holding the one winged golem in the palm of his hand. "We haven't destroyed it because we need Komui to see it first."

Krory nodded, reaching out to touch it; however, a giddy voice echoed from it, and Allen's blood ran cold.

"_Hello, Allen Walker! It's about time you found your friends. Ready for your final battle?"_

_The Earl?_

"It's a fake golem…" Allen whispered, his hand frozen in place. There was a laugh coming from the black device, and before Allen could drop it, the golem reached out and bit Allen on the hand, a burning sensation immediately filling the area as it began to tint black. His vision wavered, and the mirrors and reflections began to swim in front of him.

"…Allen!"

Suddenly, the cold floor wasn't looking too bad, but the constant laughter was just making his migraine worse.

_What… What's happening?_


	25. Chapter 25

Here's chapter 25, which I seriously loved writing. I don't want to say anything for this note, so you can delve into the battle below – other then Tron was seriously AMAZING and I highly recommend go seeing it. I got a free Tron water bottle for seeing it at the first showing. It was so amazing. Watch it. Anyways! Here's the next installment, and please don't murder me for the ending. XD And ignore any mistakes in grammar/spelling I might have missed. I wrote so fast I think my hands are going to fall off. Thanks to all who responded to this story (so many reviews!) and leave a few words on your way out? :3

* * *

25.

[rescue: allen's reflection, part two]

"_There's no soul left to save…"_

_

* * *

_i.

"_You're a fool, Allen Walker."_

The menacing voice was still coming through the cursed golem, but it was through static, like waves rolling through his muddled brain from whatever the black device had done to his body. He couldn't feel his hand, other then a burning sensation that seemed to be spreading up his arm. It worried him, to say the least, but that took to much energy, and he barely had any to begin with. If it was the virus of the akuma, he could purify himself – but he couldn't bring his Innocence up, or even get it to move so it could remove the virus and save him from certain death.

Allen didn't know what to do.

He didn't know how fast the poison from the golem would spread through his body, since it wasn't from an actual akuma. It could still be deadly, but no matter how hard he tried to lift his heavy limb, it refused to budge, the pentacle slowly growing as the poison attempted to destroy the young exorcist. He couldn't see Krory or Chaoji, and his eyes closed as the searing grew. Suddenly, pressure was on his human hand, and the burning was fading; he attempted to open his eyes, but they felt like lead, his eyelids so heavy. Something cool was on his fevered skin, and he realized he was lying on the ground sideways, his head throbbing from the force of falling. The sensation in his hand gradually faded out, and once his mind began clearing, he opened his eyes to see Krory holding his hand with a worried look on his face, obviously having sucked the poison out of Allen's hand. His eyes widened slightly.

"Allen, the poison is out of your system," Krory said, and Allen could hear a hint of hesitation in his voice, as if Krory wasn't sure if his own words were true. Allen attempted a smile, but he could _feel_ the pained expression he created, his body still a bit numb. The voice crackled from the golem again, and Allen had an overwhelming urge to smash the wretched device, whether Komui needed it or not. It was the Millennium Earl – the very being that caused Allen's skin to crawl and his uneasy hatred to grow to an alarming amount. Thoughts of his friends who were currently somewhere within the deathly mansion continued to parade in his mind, his stomach anything but settled as worry caressed him. The laughter refused to cease, and Allen pushed himself off the ground as Krory dropped his hand – the cursed exorcist wasn't even bothered by the fact that Krory had sucked out the poison, instead, focusing on getting both Krory and Chaoji out of wherever they were. He vaguely realized that the glove on his human hand had been removed; the puckered skin was still dotted black, spreading out into five points that resembled a pentacle. Allen's expression was unreadable as he stood up, his black suit slightly dusted with gray and silver as he brushed the sticking particles away from his body.

"_Are you ready to die, Allen Walker? It's about time."_

"Shut up," Allen said quietly, his voice low. Harsh. He had rarely ever used the tone of voice, but he wasn't keen on listening to the Millennium Earl, not when his head was still pounding relentlessly from the fall. Timcanpy sat tentatively on his shoulder, the golem not sure what to do either.

"Why don't we just destroy it?" Chaoji whispered, leaning over to Krory. They were both still in their exorcist uniforms, and Allen briefly wondered how difficult it would be to fight while he was dressed so formally.

"Through the exit," Allen replied, grabbing the golem and squeezing it in his hand to muffle the annoying voice. "We need to get out of here."

Krory and Chaoji nodded, and Allen quickly opened the structure and stepped through, expecting to find the other two exorcists following closely behind – however, as the door disappeared behind him, Krory and Chaoji were gone along with it, and Allen was left alone in the small maze.

Of mirrors.

Though the room itself wasn't large, mirrors replaced the walls and turned and twisted, surrounding him with reflections he'd rather of forgotten. He wasn't sure if it was intentional on the Earl's part to exploit his weakness, or if the Earl even knew of how much the shadow looming behind him corroded his mind – but at the current moment in time, Allen realized it didn't matter, and as he shook his head and reflexively took a few steps backwards, the shadow continued to mock him. His hands met something solid as they bunched into fists, his stomach churning and his facial expression nervous. Timcanpy sensed its master's distress, but it wasn't sure how to calm the boy, instead settling with taking a perch on the slim shoulder. The black golem in his hand just continued to laugh, the Earl enjoying what was happening far to much – even if he couldn't see the white haired boy, he still knew where he was.

Allen tried to refocus his attention, trying his hardest to block out his reflection – but he had no where else to look, and by the way the room seemed to never end, he didn't have a way out either.

ii.

"Yu! Where's Allen?"

"He went through the door to try and – "

"You let him go by himself?"

Kanda rolled his eyes, not bothering to comment on the use of his first name as he glanced around. After having a glaring match with the Noah that had attempted to annihilate Allen multiple times, the samurai had disappeared back into the akuma filled crowd to try and find any sign of Lavi, Lenalee, or Link – not because he cared, particularly, but because they needed to come up with a plan on how the hell they were going to get out of this mess. Lavi's constant worrying wasn't helping, and the dark haired exorcist was becoming annoyed as every second passed.

He refused to blame it on his nerves, or the tension in the room that only the exorcists could truly feel.

"What else was I supposed to do? Have him follow me around while trying not to destroy every single fucking akuma in the stupid fucking house?"

By the dimmed expression – and slightly shocked expression – on Lavi's face, Kanda figured the bookman understood what he had said. There was still no sign of Lenalee or Link, and Kanda continued to glance around, no sign of the mysterious door either.

_You better not die, stupid moyashi._

"Kanda," Lavi began, not bothering to call him by his first name. "Lenalee and Link are together – I'm sure I saw them head in that direction."

Kanda watched as Lavi pointed off to the right of where they were, a throng of akuma gathered in large clusters spread over the room. He could faintly make out a head of blonde hair that resembled Allen's observer, but he couldn't be sure – either way, he roughly and indiscreetly maneuvered his way through the demons, intent on finding out if that was the Central worker or not; if it was, Lenalee was sure to follow. Lavi seemed to have the same idea, following Kanda's path and gently making his own when one of the demons stepped in front of him. Every single demon, Lavi figured, must have been in on the Noah's plan, for all the exorcists received were heated glares and sick smiles, not one demon attacking. By the time the agitated Japanese male reached a spot close enough to determine whether or not the blonde haired person was Link, a simply dressed Road had showed herself to the guests, and Kanda immediately blended in with the crowd to avoid being spotted. He realized it was Link, obviously being heavily watched by two men – demons – that were buff and angry looking. Kanda rolled his eyes, moving the akuma away from him to reach Link. When the latter caught sight of Kanda, his eyes widened slightly, almost showing relief on his stoic face.

"Kanda," he whispered, looking around to see if anyone was paying attention. When the coast was clear, he slipped in between the two akuma, effectively getting away unnoticed. Kanda said nothing as Link stood beside him, Lavi eventually catching up.

"Where's Walker?"

"Looking for Krory and Chaoji," Lavi responded, his hand twitching towards the hammer that was smartly hidden from view within his suit. "Where's Lenalee?"

"Right here," a calm voice replied, and Lavi turned around to find Lenalee looking unharmed and nervous, her hands wringing together. She looked around as well, obviously trying to find the missing exorcist that wasn't with the group.

"Where – "

"Looking for the others," Kanda replied curtly, sick of the repeated question. Lenalee gasped, but Lavi quickly covered her mouth, shaking his head to ward off a scene that panic would cause. Lenalee smiled underneath the limb, Lavi removing his hand as a bit of red tinted his cheeks.

"He went through a door," Kanda continued, acting oblivious to what he had just witnessed. "But that door is gone – "

"It's right here, exorcists," a deep voice interrupted, and the four of them turned around to see one of the large men that strangely resembled Skinn pointing to a wooden structure, similar to the one that had been over near a corner when Allen went through. Kanda narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but Lavi and Lenalee seemed to waste no time, quickly running over and grabbing the handle. Lavi was a future bookman – he should have known it was possible that it was a trap, but he seemed more intent on finding his lost comrade.

_Che, future bookman, eh…_

"Yu, hurry up," said bookman whispered loudly, waving his hand as he waited patiently – somewhat – by the wooden door that could possibly lead them to Allen. Rolling his eyes for the umpteenth time that night, Kanda followed.

iii.

"This isn't fair."

The words he spoke were true, and as he attempted to find a way out of the odd room, his thoughts grew more frustrated and his steps became more agitated.

"It's a cheap move, Earl."

There was no more sound coming from the golem, and Allen glared, the urge to smash it coming back full force. Thankfully, the Fourteenth's shadow was calm, not offering his hand like he had done before; Allen could still recall the overwhelming emotion to destroy and shatter the smiling figure, and he had done so – injuring his hand and getting glass stuck in his skin in the process. Kanda had been the one to help him, in his own, stubborn and rude way. The day seemed so far away, and Allen couldn't figure out how so much had changed so fast. Perhaps he _was_ losing his grip on reality… or whatever grip he had to begin with.

"Damn it, how am I going to get out of here…"

Ignoring the fact had he had cursed, again, Allen continued to walk, randomly taking the turns only to find himself looking _at himself_. It was a well known fact that he got lost easily, but this time, it just wasn't fair. He was trapped without an exit in a room filled with mirrors – the concept itself was deeply irritating, and the white haired boy began to wonder if there was a bigger plan the Earl and his Noah had.

'_Allen…'_

Said boy froze, the same voice echoing inside his mind. Already having a feeling of what it was, he refused to look in the mirror as he averted his gaze towards the floor, not sure on how the shadow would react, and deciding it'd be better if he just didn't know. However, his curiosity bettered him, and his eyes trailed upwards slowly, a reflective surface only a few feet away from where he stood. Timcanpy seemed to realize this, and he furiously flew in front of Allen's line of vision, which caused the black golem to flare up and begin writhing within Allen's grip. Not allowing himself to get bitten – again – he instinctively dropped the black machine, the one winged golem hitting the floor with a _crash._

Yet it was still in one piece.

Timcanpy became angered – for a golem, anyways – and attacked the thrashing golem on the floor, attempting to bite it as it had done a few times previously. Allen bent down to break up the golem vs. golem match, not keen on the idea of two broken golems in his midst. Before his extended hand could wrap around Timcanpy's round form, his eyes caught sight in the mirror, and Allen was not ready for what he witnessed. The black shadow was more defined then it had ever been, the shape and curve of the Fourteenth's original appearance becoming clearer and clearer. It wasn't enough for an actual image of the Fourteenth, but it was enough to petrify Allen in the position he was in. A hand was reached forward, trying it's damndest to convince Allen to give in to the will of the traitorous Noah, eager to take over his host. Allen couldn't even see his own reflection – he didn't notice the width of his eyes, the pale color of his face once all the blood had drained, nor the grim line his mouth was set in.

'_Allen… Allen…'_

He was becoming sick of his name, the whispering word driving his mind to the brink of insanity. Before he could shake the voice away and disperse the thoughts of actually giving in – because he was Allen Walker, and Allen Walker does not give up – the mirror began swirling, Allen's face becoming distorted as images of his previous nightmare began filling the surface.

_Bodies, so many bodies, and they all bore the symbol that proved to him it was destruction of his family, his home…_

"Stop…" Allen whispered, wanting to look away but not being able to. He was still on his knees, his hands balled into fists on the cold, stone floor.

_Broken weapons, broken bones, it was all broken, and he wasn't even sure what had happened. But he knew one thing – everyone, everything, was dead, erased from history and deleted from the world._

"No, everyone is upstairs, or back at Headquarters…"

_But they were leaving, the souls that bound them to this world leaving and deleting and being erased._

"Stop!" Allen shouted; his hand reached out to touch the mirror in front of him gently, as if he could wash away the image with his own flesh. He was tired of the nightmares, tired of the constant worry that they brought as he seemed to get closer and closer to fulfilling the very act that Cross himself had said Allen would do.

_But it was too late, and the world and the scene in front of him seemed to be washed away in a mix of black and red and more black, and he was laughing now, he was smiling triumphantly, and what was he _doing?

And he was laughing. It was hollow, deadly, his face contorted into one of pain, shock, and empty smiles. The cursed exorcist had forgotten about the two golems on the floor, not even reacting when Timcanpy furiously tried to snap Allen out of whatever trance he was in. His head dropped, his white hair creating a curtain over his pained face, his outstretched hand balling into a fist as he attempted to smash the image in front of him. The nightmare barely wavered, no glass shattering; only a single crack was in the looking glass, and Allen wasn't sure if it was because the hit was weak or if the surface just wasn't breakable. He brought his arm back again, not looking at the mirror as his fist struck a second time; a third time, a fourth time, blood running down the fingers on his human hand and the black pentacle screaming for him to stop. The glass refused to break, stems only branching out minimally from the force of his hand. He was becoming frantic, desperate to destroy the nightmare as he cried out, forcing his arm forward once more in a futile attempt.

"Damn it," he muttered, frustration growing to a new height as he stood up. It was like he wasn't controlling his own movements, the silver and white dancing around him as he summoned his Innocence.

Even Timcanpy was a bit terrified.

iv.

"Allen walked through here?"

"Probably," Kanda answered, not paying attention to the others around him. After walking through the door, they found themselves in a long hallway, a few lights creating a string among the roof that barely lighted the dark corridor. The door they had walked through disappeared, and Kanda figured that's probably why he wasn't able to spot the door Allen had gone through. Lavi and Lenalee were up ahead, looking around as if they could see through the walls and find their three comrades. Kanda – though refusing to admit it – was on edge, an ominous feeling cast over him as they made their way down the hallway.

"I feel like I'm back on the Ark," Lavi said, his voice betraying the calm façade he tried to keep on. "That hallway went on endlessly. If it wasn't for Krorykins, we probably would have fallen through the floor."

"Except this time it's different," Lenalee responded, her hands falling gently to her sides as she tried to stay calm as well. Lavi's words hit a soft spot – they could all remember what had happened on the Earl's very creation, and because of the events that had transpired, it created a mess for Allen that was impossible to fix – how do you convince someone like Leverrier that someone's innocent?

_You can't_, Lenalee thought silently, her eyes drifting to the floor, but not really seeing the cracked linoleum. _He's terrifying, evil… And yet he's supposed to be on our side._

"Lenalee," Kanda spoke sternly, trying to get the attention of the only female of the group. The young girl turned around, Lavi, Link, and Kanda all standing by a door that she had completely bypassed from being lost in her own thoughts.

"If Walker did go this way," Link began, grabbing the door knob and opening the silver door. "Then he would probably go in the first door he saw."

"One track mind," Kanda said quickly, a smirk almost turning his lips upwards. Link said nothing, not in the mood to argue with the stoic exorcist. The member of Crow was more concerned with getting the hell out of wherever they were, a foreshadowing feeling falling amongst him.

"Oh shit…" Lavi muttered once they entered the room, instantly bombarded with mirrors instead of walls. Lenalee's eyes widened, a blank expression on her face as she drank in the structure of the room. Even Kanda was caught off guard by the sudden reflections, not sure why a room of mirrors would be a room at all – but the occupants of the now closed room knew that if Allen had gone through the odd space, then it would have been a rough trip for him. They didn't know what he saw when he caught a glimpse of his reflection, but they knew it wasn't pleasant.

"How are we going to get out of here? Allen disappeared in that room!"

Lavi blinked at the unexpected voice, the tone resembling that of a certain seaman-turned-exorcist. If it was indeed Chaoji, then Krory was sure to follow – and they had mentioned Allen, which meant the members of the Order were on the right track.

"I do not know, Chaoji."

"Krorykins…" Lavi laughed quietly, suddenly running off in the direction of the voices. Lenalee followed behind, her footsteps light compared to Lavi's; it wasn't long before Link and Kanda followed at their own pace, still not trusting the various mirrors and the maze like structure of the area they were in. By the time they reached the others, Lavi was hugging Krory with a grin on his face, not having seen the vampire-like exorcist in a few weeks. Lenalee still looked worried, but a bit of relief had appeared on her expression, only one more exorcist to find.

"Where did moyashi go?" Kanda asked, skipping over any welcomes. Krory didn't seem surprised, and Lavi was glad to find that he was finally understand what the dark haired exorcist was like.

"He went through the exit, but it disappeared before we could get through – "

"Then it probably wasn't an exit," Kanda interrupted, his hand twitching toward the sword that was concealed underneath his coat; some of Mugen was visible, but he hadn't bothered trying to cover it up, personally not caring if the demons noticed it or not. "It was probably a trap, since this place is filled with Noah and demon alike. It wouldn't be surprising if the fat ass was here to."

Chaoji was silent, not expecting the venom to drip from Kanda's words.

"Where was the door?" Kanda asked, walking forward and ignoring the glances from Lenalee.

"In the next room over, but I don't know if the door is still there. They seem to disappear once walked through," Krory replied. Kanda sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"And where is the door that leads into the _next_ room?"

"Oh, that's over there!" Chaoji said a bit too enthusiastically, and Kanda's eye twitched, the voice to loud for the headache that was attempting to break through his mind. "We'll show you."

Chaoji started heading towards the area he had pointed out only a few seconds prior, but after taking a few steps, an ominous growl echoed around the room. Everyone froze, waiting for a demon to break through one of the mirrors, but the room was silent once again, no sign of life other then the members of the Order. Chaoji breathed a sigh of relief, taking another step –

Only to have the floor cave in and all of occupants to fall through an unexpected breaking floor.

"Damn it!" Kanda cursed, unsheathing Mugen and looking for something solid he could stab. Lavi had a similar idea, extending his Hammer so it hit the ground before they did; he grabbed onto Chaoji and Krory, who grabbed onto the stem of Lavi's Innocence to avoid falling. Lenalee had activated her boots, landing gracefully on the ground and breathing a sigh of relief. Before Kanda could hit the ground, he activated his Innocence and felt the familiar feel of two blades, before thrusting them into the nearest wall and slowing his descent. Once he had stopped, he removed Mugen from the crumbling bricks, his feet hitting the ground silently as he regained his balance. Lavi slowly lowered him and the other two on his own Innocence down until they were a close enough distance to the floor, Lavi deactivating and the three of them feeling the sturdy ground beneath them. Krory was the first to break the silence, pointing to a door that had mysteriously appeared when their feet touched the floor.

"That's the same door Allen went through."

v.

Despite the pool of blood that had gathered underneath the hand dropped by his side, Allen still managed to activate his Innocence.

The mirrors that surrounded him all seemed to project the same images, the same scene had had witnessed in his head from deprivation of sleep. It wasn't a nice image by far, and he was tired of being surrounded by dead allies when he knew they were alive – deep down, he _knew _they were alive. But for some reason, he couldn't control his actions, and he barely realized that Crowned Clown's belt was wrapping around his legs, encasing his arms and body in an armor like embrace. The mask had long since covered his eyes and the tip of his nose, and he was left to watch through half closed eyes as the events unfolded. Timcanpy had refused to leave Allen's side, the golden golem wrapping itself around Allen's still bruised neck.

_Get a hold of yourself, Allen… What am I doing?_

Air began twisting around him, and his human hand was stained crimson from the gashes that ran along his knuckles, old wounds reopening as well. The black golem was forgotten on the floor, though the young boy could faintly make out an insistent laughing that refused to quit, the familiar voice just strengthening Crowned Clown's will to act on it's own. His Innocence had done something similar on multiple occasions, but this felt different…

It didn't feel right.

He wasn't injured to the extent of being immobile, and he wasn't even battling any demons, other then the one that resided within himself. And yet the white manifestation of God continued to circle him, before a flash filled his vision –

Crown Belt had activated itself, stretching out around the room and extending into the mirrors to smash them.

_My Innocence… reacted to me trying to destroy the mirrors…_

There was to much white to make out exactly what was happening, but he could tell by the sound of glass breaking that Crown Belt was trying its hardest to destroy the looking glass, despite the futility of the activity. Allen fell forward, his knees landing on something sharp; he was trying to deactivate his Innocence, but he was still losing control, his vision blurring and his mind dangerously blanking out every couple seconds.

"S-Stop…" he whispered, forcing his eyes open. "I can't…"

Despite the protection Crowned Clown brought, once the white had successfully shattered one of the mirrors, the shards flew out too fast for Allen to dodge, and he felt a few pieces land in his skin on his hand, a few sharp shards piercing the flesh on his face as well. He needed to stop, but he was losing the battle between coherency and unconsciousness, his mind desperate to receive the sleep it had been deprived of for nearly a week. Before he could shut his eyes completely, something red and crimson caught his attention, and the clean shade that had previously filled his vision quickly receded, attempting to ward off the fire that was trying to devour it.

"Allen! _Fire Stamp!"_

_Lavi…?_

Something warm was around his body, and black became the only color he could see as he was knocked backwards before hitting the ground painfully. The sudden assault of pain from his head connecting with the stone cancelled the connection with his Innocence; however, instead of the cowl disappeared, it covered Allen like a very large blanket to protect him from the shards that were still tumbling to the ground. He was surrounded by broken glass, and something wet was on his human hand, the cool liquid feeling far too much like blood. Someone was around him, and as he opened the eyes he hadn't realized he closed, he found a familiar redhead breathing heavily beside him, his arm strewn over Allen's injured chest.

"Ow," Lavi muttered, the cowl blanketing him as well. Allen's breath was coming in short gasps, the cursed exorcist still not entirely sure what had happened. "That was way to much like the Ark, bean sprout. Guess we're even."

Allen let a chuckle escape his lips, but air was limited in the tent-like embrace his cowl created. He breathed deeply before deactivating, finally feeling some inkling of control. He sat up quickly when cool air became his companion, and Lavi quickly dropped his hand, sitting up alongside his friend to try and clear his own mind.

"You better not have burned my Innocence," Allen replied humorously, though the grim situation of what had just happened didn't allow enough room for the two exorcists to laugh, and Allen swore he could feel waves of worry rolling of off Lavi.

"I'm fine," the white hair boy whispered, though he was having trouble believing his own words.

"You're going to explain what happened," Lavi replied, standing up and reaching a hand out for Allen to grab. The exorcist on the ground graciously took the offered limb with his blackened hand, instantly being pulled off the stone floor to be righted once again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lenalee standing with a hand over her mouth, obviously not sure on what had just happened either. Kanda looked impassive as usual, though Mugen was set in apposition in front of him as if he was preparing for an attack. Link was rubbing the bridge of his nose, and Allen felt a bit guilty for him – he would have no choice but to explain to Leverrier what had happened on this assignment; this caused true worry to bubble up in his stomach, the urge to wretch only barely being contained. Krory and Chaoji were in the room as well, but Allen could see a small wave ripple through the mirror behind them, but before he could warn them, the two exorcists fell backwards, disappearing once again.

"No!" Allen shouted, attempting to run forward. The whirr of his eye stopped him dead in his tracks, dread and cold filling his body like an injection of something fatal. Lenalee, Link, and Kanda had all turned toward the mirror, but it shattered before they could realize what had happened, and they were sent flying across the room to land near Allen and Lavi.

"What just happened?" Lavi asked, his eye scanning the area; a sudden cackle and a familiar voice connected through the golem, and Allen glared, picking up the device and squeezing it.

"_Sorry, boy," _Tyki spoke through the golem, and Lavi's eye widened, not caught up with what had happened. "_But your time is up."_

"It's a fake golem," Allen began, his fist exerting pressure on the device. "It's from the Earl. It carries the blood of an akuma. Don't let it bite you – "

"Why didn't you destroy it, moyashi?" Kanda asked loudly, prying the golem away from Allen's unresponsive form.

"Because, I couldn't…"

"_Now, now, Tyki. Don't worry Allen!"_ Road's voice called through the golem, and Allen could hear the twins laughing in the background too.

"_Allen Walker,"_ the Earl said, his voice too happy – it put Allen on edge, and he could tell by the sudden tension in the room that the others realized who was talking as well. _"This is farewell. Goodbye, exorcists."_

The line disconnected, and Allen just stared at the golem in Kanda's hand; Allen's hand was still outstretched in front of him, as if he was still holding the black machine. Kanda glared, his fingers curling around the golem and destroying it.

"Che, what the fuck is he going on about?"

Allen realized his eye was still activated, but as it scanned the room, he couldn't spot any demons – until more of the mirrors shattered, revealing something Allen had never thought he'd see. An akuma burst through the shattered glass, and as the dust and smoke cleared and the wall mended itself, they were able to get a good look at what they were up against this time. The demon looked more human like than a level four, an indented pentacle engraved on the weapon's stomach and forehead. Two sets of wings were on it's back, but it was standing on the ground instead of flying; it looked almost identical to a level four. It's eyes were alive with fierce and gruesome power swirling within, and the body of the weapon was black, claws for hands and a slimmer body than a level four.

And then Allen realized it _wasn't _a level four.

His eye activated once again, revealing the soul that only Allen could see. He stood in complete shock for a few moments, the image of the purple and black smoke and flames binding the soul filling his vision. It was the same soul he had seen when first coming near the house – except he could fully make it out. Except there wasn't much to make out, he knew. The soul was nearly completely deteriorated, only fragments of the crying spirit left within the confines of the chains. It was absolutely disgusting – the shock was worse then when he had seen the soul of a level four for the first time when it attacked Headquarters. This time, he had no warning to give himself before falling on his knees and vomiting, the image of the soul not leaving his mind and causing him to wretch and heave until blood was mixed in, his arms wrapped around his stomach in an attempt to brace himself. Lavi and Link fell beside him, and he felt a hand on each of his shoulders, but he couldn't bring himself to care as the crying soul played over and over in his mind, tears streaming from his eyes that he couldn't stop even if he wanted too. It was horrible, terrifying, the sense of dread hadn't disappeared, his breathing labored and out of control. Timcanpy had removed itself from around Allen's neck to rest in his hair, trying it's hardest to calm down his master – Timcanpy was maybe the only one who knew _just_ how much it affected him. Even Kanda was at a loss for what to do, but he had a feeling he knew what was happening with Allen.

"It's not a level four, is it?" Kanda asked quietly, kneeling in front of Allen. The demon just laughed, obviously not intending to attack; it was waiting for orders from the Earl.

Allen shook his head, covering his mouth to stop more of the wretched bile to spill from his mouth. It was mainly blood, at that point – and his chest was on fire, the blood probably seeping through from the strain he had put on his body.

'_Help… Save… Why…'_

He could hear the broken voice, the terror and the faint words that were being spoken only to him. It caused more tears to leak from his eyes, desperation for the deteriorated soul to be released his only emotion.

"Is it any level at all?"

Allen nodded, confirming Kanda's suspicion that it wasn't one of the monsters he had fought while in Edo. Lenalee put a hand on Allen's shoulder, her voice shaking.

"Allen, what is it?"

He couldn't get the words to form on his lips, his stomach still churning from the state of the soul.

"There's…" Allen began, his eyes unfocused and his body rigid; Kanda continued to kneel in front of him, waiting for Allen to form his words. "There's no soul left to save…" He coughed up more blood, the crimson staining more of his hand; he could still feel the wetness on his cheeks, the salty liquid still dripping from his eyes.

"Heh, heh," the demon began laughing louder, walking towards Allen with a smile on it's face. Kanda whipped around, holding Mugen up as he blocked the demon's path to get to Allen. "You fools. I am stronger then a level four – I am more advanced then a level four. I am my master's most prized creation, his most beloved demon of all. I have killed more then you can imagine, and I have been sent to end Allen Walker. If the rest of you are so eager to die, you may wait until I've finished my job."

Allen couldn't bring himself to look at the demon – it was his job, his _path,_ to destroy akuma, to set the souls free so they could rest peacefully in the afterlife. But this demon had no soul to save, for as Allen looked up, the soul deteriorated even more, right in front of Allen's eyes – only one or two fragments remained, and Allen choked out a sob, looking away quickly and vomiting once again, all blood. Link's hand tightened on his shoulder, and Allen realized Link was the only one in the room who had witnessed Allen getting nearly obliterated by a level four the first time he fought one.

If a level four was that strong, then Allen could only imagine how powerful a level five could be.

_Why… Why did this happen? Why couldn't I…_

"_We're destroyers, not saviors."_

"_I want to be a savior, too."_

"Allen," Link whispered, bringing the small boy back from his thoughts that were centered around his first mission with Kanda. He had vowed to be a savior, and he had promised his Innocence that he'd live for both demons and humans, but the sight of the soul was enough to send him spiraling downwards in despair.

"What have you done…" Allen whispered, looking up to the demon, his stomach once again jumping when he saw the soul. "All those people… You've destroyed the soul, demon."

The machine just laughed, scratching it's head as it's deep voice bellowed in the room.

"Why are you crying, you weakling? Aren't you supposed to destroy me? Why are you crying?"

"_Why are you crying?" The level four just continued to laugh, an air of confusion around the demon._

"Master said you can see the souls of us. You turned your own father into a demon, and he cursed you."

_Shut up… Please, be quiet demon. I… What do I do? I need to destroy it, but… I can't move. My body's frozen._

The demon took a few more steps, obviously not concerned with Kanda blocking it's way.

"Is that why you're crying? If you can't even handle a destroyed soul, how can you possibly hope to defeat me? You have a hero complex, don't you? What about your friends – "

"Shut up," Kanda said quietly, his voice dangerous; he was tired of the voice that was tormenting Allen. None of them could imagine what state the soul was in, or the horror that Allen must've been feeling, and the stoic exorcist was not in the mood to listen to a demon rant. Said demon just laughed louder, causing one of the mirrors to shatter once again.

"You're weak, Allen Walker."

Allen closed his eyes, the skin sticking to his lashes from the tears. There was a terrible taste in his mouth, and the dread hadn't been relieved from his body. He was numb, and even after seeing the state of the soul in the level four, this feeling was new, a sense of hopelessness surrounding him like a blanket trying to keep a child warm in the middle of the winter. It was suffocating, and no matter how hard he tried to push the image away of the destroyed soul, it continued to torment his mind, no intention of releasing its hold on Allen's mind.

"I cry for you," Allen whispered, the words familiar, as if it was the day the level four had been birthed into Headquarters. Instead of Johnny placing a hand on his Innocence, he was surrounded by Lavi and Link, each still holding a hand on the small boy's shoulders. Lenalee was kneeling with Lavi, silent but supporting. Even Kanda was there, helping in his own way… "I cry for your soul, I cry for the dead."

"It's my job to destroy you – "

"It's my path to free the soul that's within you."

Allen pushed himself off the ground, wiping the slick, red liquid that clung to his dry lips. His hand received a shock when he put pressure on the injured limb, blood seeping from the wounds and onto the ground. His stomach heaved again, and he bit back another round of bile. His body was still having trouble supporting him, but he persevered anyways, the cry of the soul still echoing in his mind.

'_-elp…'_

"Ah, so he moves!" The demon shouted loudly, and Allen opened his eyes, grabbing his wrist and feeling the hilt of his sword underneath his battered hand. He stepped beside Kanda, and the latter just nodded, obviously wanting to destroy the demon as well. The cursed exorcist's face was set in one of determination – yet he still looked sick, his face paler then it had ever been before. His eyes seemed… dead, almost. Empty, as if the deteriorated soul had destroyed some of Allen's own. The thought alone sent a shiver down Allen's spine.

"I must release you," Allen replied a bit louder, running forward and attempting to strike the demon. The level five just laughed, flicking Allen backwards and sending him skidding across the floor. The demon laughed, brushing itself off as if Allen had contaminated him.

_It's power is terrible… Even with four exorcists, I don't think we can take it down._

"Where's your God now, Allen Walker?"

And before the white haired, cursed boy of fifteen could move out of the way or even block the oncoming attack, a terrifying surge of power released into the room, shattering every mirror as Allen felt his heart stop beating a second before his body was launched backwards into the broken mirror at the far end of the room, his Innocence deactivated. His head hit the wall, his back arching in pain against the structure, blood projecting from his open mouth and from the wound on his chest.

The others were frozen in shock, time seeming to move in agonizingly slow motion as Allen Walker landed on the ground, not a breath leaving his broken body.


	26. Chapter 26

The beginning of this chapter is Allen's mind, so it's not supposed to be overly-descriptive until after. It was really fun to write, actually. Finally, the Fourteenth comes in to play! Mind you, there's not a whole lot on the personality of the Fourteenth, so I tried to keep him in character as best as I could. Definitely not easy. I was kind of afraid to post this chapter – your reviews were so wonderful, and I wasn't sure if this chapter would live up to standards! XD Oh, and I said you'd hate Leverrier. Just wait – you will. Other then that, since I ended the last chapter on a cliffhanger, here's chapter twenty-six! Thank you to all who reviewed and the like, and leave a few words on your way out? Happy holidays!

* * *

26.

[fate's stronghold]

_Confused. Balanced on the edge of sanity and insanity. A weapon of God._

_

* * *

_i.

_That really hurt._

He was alive – wasn't he? His mind was a screwed up thing. He wasn't entirely sure what had driven him to attack the level five with the same ferocity used against the first level four they had ever encountered; after all, the chance of landing a hit and successfully destroying the demon was slim, yet his body acted quicker then he could process, and despite the words he had spoken, he wasn't fully aware of what he had done – or more, what the demon had done to him. It had happened in a blur, and now his body was bruised and beaten worse then ever before. Hell, he wasn't even sure where he was – in his subconscious, perhaps, his body trying to heal itself by putting him in a coma.

But somehow, he doubted that was true.

He could still feel every inkling of pain, the gashes deep and thick on his back from the strength he had been thrown. Pieces of glass etched into his flesh. His head felt like Lavi had taken his hammer and smashed him in his skull a few times, just for good measure. He was covered in something sticky – blood, most likely, since he figured he had lost a good amount that should have ended his life already. Everything hurt; there wasn't one muscle or one piece of skin that wasn't on fire from the agony.

But that didn't bother him as much as it should have.

What bothered him more was that he truly had no idea where he was, or how he was even capable of thinking, as if his mind was still alert and he was back in the room of shattered mirrors with his comrades. He had seen their faces before his vision went dead; Lenalee one of dread and pure disbelief. Lavi's single emerald eye widening more then it ever had. Kanda still kneeling, almost as if his own body was frozen from the force of the attack. And Link… he could have sworn the Central worker looked guilty. Of what? He didn't know.

_It's like a case of déjà vu. Except I don't know if I'm going to walk away from this one._

Because, in his broken mind with his thoughts twisted and wavered with pain, the force of that attack should have been enough to kill him. Did he honestly escape death a second time? It didn't help that his view – which he could barely make out – was black and white, something he hadn't seen in a long time, since before his eye had evolved.

"_Go deeper into the world of gray."_

Hadn't Mana said something along those lines? Then why wasn't he seeing the different tones of gray, like he usually did? Whenever he saw the souls –

The soul; it was a terrible and revolting sight, and he thought that because of the automated spirit, maybe he had lost a part of himself. He was supposed to save the tortured souls trapped by the akuma, but he assumed a level four was the worst it could deteriorate, that the broken soul bound by chains had already lost as much as it could – after all, there was a large jump from a level three to a level four when it came to the state of the spirit. But a level five… Level five's weren't supposed to _exist_; the war may have just taken a different turn, and not in favor for the Order. How was he supposed to fix it? His comrades… he hoped to whatever God there was that they'd be alright, despite the enemy they were facing.

"Didn't I tell you not to give up?"

_Master?_ _You said if I haven't given up yet._

"You should know by now that's my way of telling you not to give up. Walk your own path."

_Where's my path going to take me though? This is the only road I know._

"Then follow it. _Make_ it your path. Wake up."

Allen didn't know how.

ii.

"Come on now, wake up."

"I don't want too…"

"You have to, Allen."

Said boy groaned, rolling over in the makeshift bed and rubbing his eyes tenderly. He had barely gotten any sleep, and the air was biting through his green coat and thin pants. He could only imagine how messy his brown hair looked, but he didn't care, for all he wanted to do was _sleep._ Him and Mana had been walking for nearly five hours before they found a hotel – it was meek, the beds uncomfortable and barely able to fit _Allen_, who was small. The walls were weak, the winter weather easily breaking through the barrier and assaulting anyone who stayed in the rooms.

"Nngh…" was the young boy's only response, but the constant shaking of his shoulders was beginning to grate his nerves, and he slowly opened his eyes, intending to slap his foster father's hand away. However, as soon as his eyes were opened to see the image in front of him, pain racked his entire body, his nerve endings exploding in a fit of fire and burns. He tried to scream out for Mana to do something, but his throat was thick, no words escaping his pained lips.

And then he realized he wasn't the six year old child that desperately wanted a family – he was the fifteen year old exorcist who had just been knocked unconscious.

"You're not the innocent little boy anymore, are you, Allen?"

_I never was innocent._

"I always found that ironic."

_I always found you weird. _

The bed and hotel room from his distant memory was gone, being replaced by a dream. The snow was getting colder, his body not feeling like _his_ body anymore. But even as the pain subsided and the world became clearer, all he could see was the large moon above his head, snow flakes falling into his eyes and freezing his face.

The snow felt nice, Allen thought.

It was as if the white flakes were closing the blistering wounds that littered his body in multiple places, so much blood surrounding him where he lay. He could faintly recall what had happened before the pain struck and his vision went dead, but it was still blurry, his head trying too hard to connect the pieces of the mess he found himself in. The wet snow was slowly soaking his back, seeping through his clothes and freezing him due to the harsh weather outside. He lifted up a bloodied hand, some of the red liquid dripping down his limb and trailing down his arm as he narrowed his heavy eyes to try and make out more of the scenery.

_Why am I here again?_

"Aren't you supposed to live for both demon and human alike?"

_Mana…_

"Come now, don't give up."

_Did you ever… Was it always the Fourteenth you were speaking too?_

"What do _you_ think?"

_I think… I think I'm tired._

Truly, in the depths of his mind, all he wanted to do was sleep. Pretend everything that had happened was one long, horrifying dream, and he'd wake up in the small hotel room with Mana beside him, begging his foster son to get up so they could practice for their next performance. That maybe, just maybe, the Fourteenth didn't exist, and Allen wasn't so confused on who both Mana _and_ Cross had cared for. That he wasn't the host for a rogue Noah that had betrayed his own clan. He still had his friends to think about, though – his first meeting with Kanda, the samurai attempting to cut him open to see if he was a demon or not. Lenalee, showing Allen around the Order and letting him know where everything was, _who_ everyone was. Lavi, who had saved him on more then one occasion when his left eye was out of commission. Link, who had baked Allen a pie despite his duty to be a constant shadow to the possible traitor.

And everyone else at the Order, who had become Allen's family; his _home._

But he was exhausted, the war finally taking a toll on both his body and mind; was his whole life planned for him?

"Are you really going to give up so easily? I mean, I can't take over a dead body, now can I?"

_Why is everyone assuming I'll give up? I'm just tired…_

"You must be, if you're not surprised to hear me."

_It was always you whispering my name. Always my reflection. Why?_

There was silence. His hand drifted back down, lowering onto his injured chest and resting. His eyes were beginning to close, the navy sky and the lunar light fading from view slowly; he had become numb to the snow, any sense of feeling eradicated. Blearily, he realized he was talking to the very Noah that was within him, but in his current state of health, he wasn't sure if it was his subconscious, or if the Fourteenth had actually found a way to speak to him clearly – not just Allen's name. Finally, he could hear the voice once again, and he peeled his eyes open to find a looming shadow over him.

"You're a boy chosen by fate, and fate isn't going to let go. Fight, Allen."

_What am I fighting now? A traitor… Or am I a traitor too?_

The shadow said nothing, no smile on the figure's face; just two empty, white holes that seemed sad, a figure made of darkness with white thrown over the body. It wasn't the true form of the Fourteenth, Allen knew. But in a way, he felt like he was looking at himself.

An empty shell; a puppet on strings.

_Have I finally snapped?_

"No. Wake up, Allen. Destroy the demon."

_I don't know how…_

"Open your eyes."

iii.

"Damn it!"

Allen groaned, the familiar voice of his observer extremely loud in his ears. It took effort, but he was finally able to crack his eyelids open, Link the first thing entering his line of sight. The blonde haired man looked injured, his right arm cradled and a clean cut roaming over the left side of his face. He could hear loud shouts and crashes, but his mind was more focused on the pain that racked his body in endless waves. When he had been unconscious, though he had felt his injuries to a large extent, they hadn't been this extreme – and now that he was fully aware and awake, his body was anything but blissful. Something – or someone – was strewn over him, as if protecting him, and as he looked around, he realized he and Link were hidden behind a piece of broken wall.

"The others are fighting, and I brought you out of the way. We thought…" Link didn't finish his sentence, but Allen got the gist of it, shutting his eyes tightly as he fought through the pain to right himself. His hand immediately met something wet and crimson, his blood soaking through his suit and gathering on the ground below him. Suddenly, he was being pulled upwards, and Allen realized it was Link that was gently setting the cursed exorcist up, his back resting against the broken wall. Allen tipped his head back, breathing a chore and his chest on fire.

"Your shoulder…"

Allen looked to the right, immediately looking away when he saw the mangled skin – his shoulder wasn't broken, but it wasn't a nice sight to look at. He could feel beads of sweat race to the surface of his skin, the room suffocating in his condition.

"Here," Link started, gently pulling the suit's jacket off of Allen's arms and away from his body; his white shirt was barely white anymore, instead, stained with red. Allen could faintly hear Link muttering something, but it wasn't directed outwards, so the young boy could only register a few words being spoken. Another loud crash sounded, and Allen winced, desperate to help his comrades – but afraid to see the damage as well. He must have showed the conflict on his face, for Link shook his head, not letting the fifteen year old turn around to view his friends.

"Link," Allen said quietly, his voice raspy and thick. "I need to help."

"There's nothing you can do – "

"I can fight – "

"You'll be lucky if you can stand up, Walker!"

Allen blinked, the inspector's voice sounding angry and disbelieving. The situation seemed hopeless, but Allen refused to give up – though the dream was hazy, he could clearly recall the shadowy voice of the Fourteenth; of Mana. It had set his mind on high alert. He didn't get a chance to dwell on it before the wall began to crumble, pieces of rubble and small dust falling around the two Order members. A loud laugh ensued, and frustration began to rise up in Allen. He ground his teeth together as he pulled some of the fabric off of his coat, tying it around his shoulder; he rotated the limb a few times, attempting to get a feel for a how painful it would be when he activated his Innocence and grabbed the sword with his injured arm. It was agonizing, but he'd gone through worse, so he bit his tongue and felt the cowl ensnare him.

"Walker – "

Allen shouted as his head burst into pain, the inside of his mind feeling as if it was being torn inside out. His Innocence deactivated, a shrill laugh coming from up above him.

"So, you are still alive, Allen Walker," the demon said, smashing the wall Allen was leaning on, causing the small exorcist to fall backwards. His eyes were shut tightly, his head still reeling in pain from the attack; however, as it began to subside and he caught a glimpse of his surroundings once again, he wished his eyes would have stayed closed. Link was crumpled on the ground, the demon having attacked him quickly without thought. Lenalee was breathing heavily on her knees as she tried to catch her breath, her arms injured and cuts littering her body. Lavi looked as if he was unconscious, his red hair covering his face and blending in with the blood that was dripping from his head.

Allen couldn't see Kanda.

The room itself was in shambles; not a single mirror remained, the ground decorated with shimmering pieces that remained of the reflective surfaces. Drops of blood coated the ground like a blanket, almost no part of the linoleum clean or untainted. The walls that had been previously covered were breaking, revealing nothing but darkness in the depths of the holes. Allen pushed himself off the ground, not sure of his intentions, but as soon as he was righted, he saw the oncoming attack from the demon. Expecting a blow to the head and a sickening crunch, he was surprised to find himself lifted off the ground and away from the demon.

_What…?_

"Fuck, stay here," Allen heard Kanda curse, and he was placed on the ground – not gently, by far – and a good distance away from the demon that was still laughing. Allen could see a blur heading back that way, and he realized it was Kanda, who was _not_ in good shape. His hair had fallen out of his ponytail, and it was spread over his back as he continued to fight. His jacket had been discarded, and Allen could see the black tattoo peeking out from underneath the bloody shirt. Wounds covered his skin, and Allen realized his regeneration ability still hadn't kicked in.

_He's the only one fighting, but he won't be able to for long. He's already suffering._

"Hakka Tourou," the cursed exorcist heard Kanda say quietly, and Allen watched as Kanda successively hit the demon eight times; the pattern strangely resembled a flower.

Although his own body was weak, Allen stood up, the Fourteenth's words flowing through his mind at an alarming rate. The demon seemed intent on reaching Allen, but Kanda was distracting it enough where the younger exorcist was free from harm for a few minutes. He tried to straighten himself out, desperate to be mobile so he could help Kanda – but the same question remained in his mind.

_How are we going to beat this?_

"_Open your eyes."_

Allen blinked, not expecting the sudden voice; he wasn't sure how to respond, however – his eyes _were_ open, and in doing so, it gave him neither hints nor clues on how to set the demon's soul free.

"_Let me in, Allen."_

Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind him, and Allen turned around to see Kanda crumpled against the wall with a large gash on his forehead, his breathing labored. Allen quickly rotated back around to find the demon chuckling, walking towards Allen with determination in its stride.

"_Let me."_

"What the fuck are you doing, bean sprout?" Kanda asked, reverting back to using the English form of the word, his mind tired; Allen smiled sadly, closing his eyes and listening to the voice inside his head.

_Maybe I have gone crazy._

Breathe in. Breathe out. It was agonizing, and his body felt like it would combust into flames from the force of his injuries; however, he kept his eyes closed, focusing on the Fourteenth. In a tiny part of his mind, he was glad Link was unconscious, so he couldn't witness what Allen was about to do. In all of his time as an exorcist, and the time he knew about the Fourteenth, he had never imagined or thought about himself giving into the will; he refused to give into the will of the Noah.

But the situation seemed helpless, and Allen realized he didn't have a choice.

" – the fuck!"

"What are you doing now, Allen Walker?"

_It's my path. The demon…_

"Bean sprout!" Someone was shaking him, but he was beginning to lose the feeling in his body like in the dream; it was terrifying and strange, but he was losing the will to fight it off. "Open the gate, then!"

_Control the Ark. _

"Don't make me fucking kill you."

_How am I even able to move? Can you answer that?_

"_You're not dead. Your Innocence is powering you. But if you keep this up, you won't survive much longer."_

Allen slowly opened his eyes, the lights flickering from the damage done to the room. Although his mind was barely able to process what was happening, he knew one thing – he had made a subtle connection to the Fourteenth, and that thought alone was enough to send his mind into overdrive, his actions finally realized. The shaking had ceased, and Allen watched as Kanda was picked up and thrown backwards, Allen the only one left to fight.

"Demon," Allen began, looking up into the face of the weapon of carnage. "Do you know what you've done?"

He wasn't entirely sure if the words were his own, or if they were the Fourteenth's.

"It's what I am going to do, Allen Walker," the demon said quickly, laughing and reaching a hand forward, a ball of energy already forming around the demon's hand.

"All those you've killed… Do you know what pain is?"

The demon paused, pulling the hand back subtly; Allen smiled a bit, activating Edge End and reaching up a claw, almost mimicking the time the level three had infiltrated the Asian Branch.

"Pain," Allen started, touching the demon's forehead. "Is not something that should be thrust on others. Pain is never ending, and yet humans are subject to it everyday."

"This is a waste of a conversation," the demon bellowed, intent on attacking Allen to finish him off. However, the cursed exorcist refused to quit, and he tapped a claw to the demon's forehead.

"Ah, but you're still having a conversation, demon. With a human, no less."

"I'm a weapon sent to destroy you – "

"And I'm a weapon as well."

The level five wasn't expecting this, and Allen could tell the words had confused it slightly; this just caused the sad smile on Allen's face to grow a bit wider. Allen lowered his Innocence, the black and silver claw dropping to his side. He could see, from the corner of his eye, that Link had regained consciousness, and he was watching Allen carefully. Even Lenalee, who was still kneeling over in pain, had turned to stare at the exchange between human and demon. The room was coated with blood and destruction – the demon wasn't smiling anymore.

"Why do you choose to live, Allen Walker?" the demon asked, unmoving and assessing as it watched the white haired boy.

"I live for you. I live for humans. I live, so maybe one day, others can too, without pain and suffering."

The demon just continued to stare impassively, but Allen was grateful that he had reached a demon in general – it wasn't attacking, and it seemed to seriously be considering Allen's words.

"You have the aura like…"

"A Noah?"

"Except it is different, Allen Walker."

Allen nodded, grabbing his wrist and feeling the Sword of Exorcism beneath his blistered skin. He could see Kanda attempting to stand up, but even the speed healing exorcist was injured a large amount; Lenalee had finally found the strength to right herself, swaying on the spot and leaning against the broken wall for support. Lavi had come to some of his senses, sitting up with difficulty and trying to make sense of what was happening.

_Destruction. _

Allen figured they all just wanted to go home.

"_Open your eyes."_

Looking up above the demon, he spotted the soul, the cries for help and the desperation to be set free. He wasn't sure if his attack would be successful – it was hard enough to drive his Innocence through a level four – but it was worth a try, if only to see the soul break from the chains and find some kind of peace in the afterlife. He had promised himself he'd do that – for Mana's sake, at least.

"Do you know what it's like to rest?"

The demon said nothing, and Allen took that as a 'no.' He wasn't expecting any other answer; instead, he lowered his head and closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

"_Good luck, Allen."_

Allen smiled, a light sense of relief filling him in a strange and foreign way; but after reveling in it for a few seconds, he shook himself awake, trying his damndest to ignore the burning pain that assaulted every inch of his body, and the blood that was slowly pooling around him. Any sense of numbness he had before evaporated, and he was left to deal with his injuries full on. He was relieved to see Kanda stand up completely and dash forward silently, Mugen covered with blue energy and two blades, itching to slice the demon up. Allen nodded, the demon still looking confused.

"It's nice," Allen whispered, his words finally feeling like his own; the demon was still. "I think you'll like it."

Two blades cut through the demon's outer shell, and Allen drove his own Innocence through the demon's stomach, directly overtop of Kanda's. Time moved slowly as the demon processed what had happened – but by the time it had, it was too late, and as the two exorcists removed their swords from the demon, the level five fell backwards, falling amongst the glass shards and blood. It was on the verge of being destroyed; Kanda lifted up Mugen, but Allen shook his head, placing his human hand on Kanda's raised arm to lower it.

"What – "

"No."

The cursed exorcist bent down, quickly reverting his sword back to his Edge End.

"Who… are you, Allen Walker?"

_Confused. Balanced on the edge of sanity and insanity. A weapon of God._

"An exorcist."

The demon laughed, and Allen smiled as he ran his claw down from the top of the demon's head, before swiftly going across, creating a white cross that would effectively finish off the akuma. The level five just continued to laugh – a combination between disbelieving and suppressed anxiousness.

"Perhaps… you will be the one… to break the cycle, Allen Walker."

"Maybe," Allen replied, backing up as the demon burst into pieces, the first level five eradicated from the vicinity. The room was eerily quiet after the explosion subsided, save for heavy breathing coming from the heavily injured exorcists. The broken space began to twist violently, and Allen watched as the walls faded from view, the dead trees and white covered ground replacing the shattered mirrors. It proved his suspicion that it was Road's doing – the illusion that was inescapable until Road deactivated it. Allen briefly wondered if the any of the Noah still remained in the area, or if the Earl was near. Instead of dwelling on it, he decided to give into the fatigue that was coupled with his injuries, and he felt himself falling backwards, expecting the inevitable crunch of snow that he would feel once body met ground. Kanda sat down as well, obviously worn out; he had weakened the demon before Allen had woken up, and if it wasn't for the reflexes the demon possessed, Kanda may have been able to destroy the level five. Lenalee helped Lavi to his feet and they managed to make it over by the other two, plopping down onto the wet snow from exhaustion. Allen's observer was able to shake himself out of the stupor he had been in as he stood up, swaying slightly; but before Link joined them, he grabbed Timcanpy, who was hiding behind a tree – there was a dent in it's golden wing, but it mended itself.

"Now what?" Lenalee asked, breaking through the quiet lull Allen had obtained. Another voice chimed in, and Allen smiled as he recognized Krory.

"Are you all alright?" the worried voice asked, and Allen found himself entering serenity at the realization that they were all alive.

_That doesn't mean it's over._

"How are we going to get back to the hotel like this?" Lavi asked; his voice was raspy, the bookman in training injured more then Allen had first assumed. A sudden thought occurred – he'd probably get in an extreme amount of trouble for doing what he did next, but considering the events that had transpired in the last couple days, he couldn't bring himself to care. The more important task was getting home; sleep was sounding better by the second, an eager escape from the pain that racked his body.

"We're not," Allen began, lifting up his hand and placing two fingers on his forehead, barely coherent enough to be able to call the Ark. He was surprised when Link made no move to stop him or remind him of Central's rules. "We're going home."

And as the gate opened, Allen's eyes closed.

iv.

"He used it without permission – "

"They almost died!"

"It was still a direct violation of rules."

Komui stared in disbelief, his chair far too uncomfortable; Bak, who had a bandaged hand due to the akuma virus – after Fou had rushed him to the medical ward in the Asian Branch, the nurse had managed to use a needle to remove the slow spreading virus – was the only other Branch Head present, along with Leverrier and Link. The generals were sitting the room as well; it felt like the time they had been called to a meeting after the Ark had appeared the first time – except there would be no Cross this time around. It had come as a shock when the Ark suddenly appeared, and the beaten up exorcists had walked through. Reever and Johnny had called for Komui, and the Chinese man had instantly appeared, spouting something about his work being almost finished – until he spotted the Ark. Chaoji was trying his hardest to support Lavi, whose head was covered in an insane amount of blood. Kanda and Link had walked through with Allen's arm strung across both shoulders – the cursed exorcist was in worse shape then Komui could ever recall. His stomach and chest was bloody, pieces of glass etched into the skin; his head was bleeding profusely, and his arms and legs didn't look like they had escaped injury, either. Kanda was injured, but the second he stepped through the Ark, he had begun regenerating, much to Komui's relief. He wasn't sure how Kanda had ended up supporting Allen, but he chose not to comment. Link had walked through with his right arm badly wounded, and a few cuts scraped his face, but it didn't look as if he was terribly hindered, seeing as how he was helping Kanda support Allen. Krory had walked through, and Komui could have sworn his heart stopped beating – Lenalee was cradled in his arms gently, her head a bloody mess and her thinly covered body decorated with angry looking gashes. The North American Branch Head had barely rasped out an important question.

"What happened?"

Link left Allen with Kanda, and immediately the head nurse had rushed in with her team to treat the wounded exorcists. The blonde haired man had instantly refused medical care until he could report what had happened, the information crucial and important. Leverrier had then appeared, insisting Link accompany the nurse so he could have his injuries treated, then a meeting would be held to discuss the current events.

And thus, Komui found himself staring dumbly at Leverrier, the first words leaving the man's mouth about the Ark – never mind what had happened to cause Allen to use such drastic measures.

"If I may," Link interjected, a few band-aids covering the wounds on his face; his arm was sitting comfortably in a sling. He looked unhappy and anxious – which was new, since the inspector usually had a stoic expression on his face, no matter the event. "The situation was dire. Although use of the Ark is prohibited, I do believe we have more important matters to attend to."

"As in?" Bak asked, his face pale; his eyes looked unhealthily dark. Komui had been informed of the golems, and although Bak had gotten lucky, he still looked as if he was sick.

"The appearance of a level five."

There was collective freezing, no one daring to breathe or move, until Bak quickly stood up, his chair scraping against the floor and echoing in the silence.

"Is that why Walker's currently fighting for his life?"

Link nodded, obviously not against the use of the Ark either; he refused to admit it, though. He had been brought up with Central, he had been brought up to follow all rules no matter the situation, but something inside of his mind was telling him Allen's use of the Ark was necessary – they may not have survived without it. The young boy was being treated in the infirmary, but Link had gotten word that the bleeding wouldn't stop, and he had already lost a lethal amount. If they had trekked back to the hotel, there was a chance they would have run into one or more of the Noah – or worse, the Earl himself. In their condition, they wouldn't have stood a chance.

"A level five is unheard of…" Tiedoll muttered, his eyes widening behind his glasses and snapping Link out of his thoughts.

"Are you sure it was a level five?" Klaud asked urgently, her hands folded on the table and her blonde bangs covering her burn. The generals had been out on various assignments, and it was rare to find them at Headquarters; thankfully, all three had been, coincidently, at Headquarters when the exorcists had returned.

"Positive," Link said quietly. "Walker had seen the soul, and it was not that of a level four. It had also claimed to be a level five."

Komui tensed at Link's words.

_Allen had seen the soul…_

"Well that's just great," Sokalo replied, his voice bordering on annoyance and anticipation. "Another akuma level to add to the list – "

"You've seen the power of a level four, Sokalo," Klaud interrupted sharply, the memory of being engulfed in the fire from the attack still fresh in her mind. Her voice took on a more gentle tone as she continued. "A level five… You can't be serious…"

"I wish I was not," Link replied solemnly. Leverrier had remained silent, and Komui prayed to God that the man was considering dropping any charges against Allen's use of the Ark.

"In any case," Leverrier stated loudly, silencing the other members of the Order. "Central's rules stand as follows. The use of the Ark is prohibited. There could have been another alternative – "

"They all would have died!" Bak said loudly, his fists banging the table in frustration. Komui placed a hand on the man's shoulder, shaking his head and signaling for the Asian man to sit down. Bak complied, though his expression was still one of loathing and disbelief. Komui could hear him muttering _they would have died…_ under his breath, and he tightened his hand, understanding sending through his actions.

"As I was saying," Leverrier continued heatedly, his calm façade beginning to break from frustration. Komui had a sense of dread fill him as the older man continued, any hope for Allen disappearing quickly.

_God no, please don't say it._

"Allen Walker is here by sentenced to the Inquisition, and we will decide from there whether or not he is to be executed."

There was a round of disagreeing shouts and chairs scraping, no one in the room content with that statement. Although it had been a prominent threat only a few months prior, the idea of Allen basically being _tortured _for an unjust reason did not sit will with anyone. Komui had had enough, quickly standing up and silencing everyone's noise.

"You have no right to be able to sentence him to the Inquisition. He has done nothing, other then use the Ark, to deserve that treatment!"

"He disobeyed a direct order – he will be tried for heresy."

"How does using the Ark to save the lives of the exorcists count as heresy? It's not right!"

"Calm yourself, Chief," Sokalo said quietly; he was wearing his mask, but Komui could tell that the ex-convict was also unnerved by the sudden events.

"Inspector Howard Link," Leverrier said loudly, causing the blonde to jerk in surprise – he had been lost in his own thoughts, and Komui's growing suspicion was confirmed.

Link was hiding something.

"The Vatican will be discussing the recent events. We can not afford to have a traitor in our midst. The final judgement for whether Allen Walker will be tried for heresy will be determined within a week."

_Didn't he say Allen was going under the Inquisition anyways? _Komui thought, the blood draining from his face.

"If it is decided that he will be sentenced to the Inquisition, whether or not he will be executed will be determined after… the circumstances."

_After being tortured, damn it!_

"If that is all, you are all dismissed. Inspector Howard Link, you will continue to observe Allen Walker."

The blonde nodded, and although Leverrier had left, the others had remained behind, all looking at Komui, who was still staring at the door that the older male had disappeared through.

"This… this can't be happening," Komui stammered, his voice low. Although the threat of Allen suffering the Inquisition was a threat everyday the younger boy lived, it was still hard to process that someone so young would be put through something that had broken _men_ before him. It was unbelievable, and any faith Komui had in the Vatican was being strained to the point where there was no faith left at all. He was a fellow exorcist – Bookman had even said that Allen could possibly be the one to destroy the Millennium Earl, and yet the very Order that was designed to do just that was now condemning the kid? It wasn't right, Komui knew – but he also knew that he didn't have a say, and the Chief was at a loss for what to do as he removed his white hat and placed it on the table. Bak seemed to be in denial as well, shaking his head over and over again, not really seeing the others in the room as he tried to process what was happening.

"A fifteen year old boy," Tiedoll started, his voice uncertain. He barely knew the cursed exorcist, but he had grown to know him somewhat when Allen's team was looking for Cross – any kid that could handle the womanizer with terrible money management was strong in his books, but the Inquisition was something completely different. "How can the Vatican stand by this?"

"Somehow…" Komui began, rubbing his eyes and sighing. "I don't think they are."


	27. Chapter 27

Here's the long awaited twenty-seventh chapter! It would have been up sooner, but Birth By Sleep and Dissidia have been on my brain – thank you, mom and dad! XD But, since I have the next week off of school, expect more updates, especially since Christmas is over, which means more computer time. Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas (or whatever you celebrate!) and thanks to all who reviewed! I'm glad you guys are enjoying the way I write the Fourteenth. I'm personally afraid I don't do him justice, but I'm trying, I swear! I think I left this chapter with a cliffhanger as well… Without further ado, here's the next chapter! Leave a review on your way out – please? :3

* * *

27.

[the first verdict]

_I became an exorcist to fulfill the promise to Mana – I wasn't expecting to be doubting the very man who raised me._

_

* * *

_i.

"The boy's got guts, I'll give him that much. Talking to the demon as if it was human."

"He may have guts, but he's still going to die."

The large man with the perpetual smile looked to his beloved Noah, Tyki's mouth set into one of a grim line. The level five was the first of it's kind – and possibly the last, with the way the exorcists were going. However, they weren't going to inform the Order of that, obviously – and there was still a good chance a few more level fives would be showing up. Stronger then a level four, with power unknown, even to the Noah, the level fives remained a mystery to anyone who knew of the akuma's existence. The Earl himself was the only one who could assess the power sealed within, and that was only to a certain extent; as to how the cursed exorcist had managed to defeat the demon was a puzzle he wanted solved.

Now.

The cursed exorcist had always been a nuisance, and although the Earl found it intriguing that the boy supported an Innocence that looked like his own sword, he still wanted the white haired clown dead – whether it be by his own hands, as he preferred, or by some other means necessary. It was either that, or Allen join them, once the Noah was awakened completely and Allen himself was gone…

"I don't get how," Road began, sitting cross-legged on the Millennium Earl. Jasdero and Devitto were sitting side by side in the chairs beside the Earl, while Tyki was seated on the opposite side, his head laying in his palm with a bored look in his eyes. The long table was covered with Road's papers for her homework she had deliberately refused to complete, and the room was bathed in dim light. "How could Allen take out the akuma in his condition? I mean, with all of his injuries…"

"You're talking like you're in love, Road," Tyki drawled, obviously not entirely keen on the idea of Road being smitten with an exorcist. Especially the one that refused to die.

"You know you like him too, Tyki."

Rolling his eyes, the card shark stood up and stretched while ignoring the scrape of his chair, his white dress shirt undone at the top. Road jumped off the Earl and onto Tyki, her arms strung around the surprised man's neck.

"Why not play with him for a bit longer?" Road whispered, so only Tyki could fully hear the sadistic statement.

"Now, now," the Earl began. Lero was shouting something incoherent as it was torn from its position in the Earl's hands to Road's possession – how the Noah had managed to grab the umbrella golem without letting go of Tyki was unbeknownst to all. "You'll all have your turn with the exorcists. However, your task right now is to make sure the precious level fours evolve. There should still be a large supply of the high levels. And there are still the low level akuma that are continuing to spawn! They should be evolved soon enough."

Jasdero started laughing, his blonde hair flowing delicately over his dark shoulder.

"All the exorcists should be in critical condition right now – "

" – except for the stupid generals," Devitto continued, his foot placed upon the ledge of the table, his hands folded over his stomach. "That girl, the red head and the one with the sword were in pretty bad shape, too – "

" – and that stupid boy is probably dying right now. Not to mention, we've got the fake golems floating around!" Jasdero finished, a chuckle escaping his lips. Tyki shook his head as he tried to pry Road off of him to no avail, eventually settling with letting the girl suffocate him. He was more concerned on not letting Lero hit him in the face, since Road was intent on swinging the golem around and around and around…

"Don't underestimate him. He's been hurt worse," Tyki stated, ducking as Road laughed and swung suspiciously close to where Tyki's head had been.

The Earl cleared his throat to gather the scattered attention, the large grin not diminishing in the slightest.

"He _will_ meet his end, dear family. This scene has yet to end."

ii.

There was a nice sunset hidden from view, just past the hills dusted with snow.

Allen had some idea of where he was, though it was vague, like a distant memory he couldn't completely recall. He knew one thing for sure – he was dreaming. Blissfully unaware of the pain his body was harboring and the wounds that were probably still bleeding. It was a content feeling of being numb and unresponsive, though he knew it wouldn't last. It wasn't the first time his mind had bordered on reality and unconsciousness, and he was just waiting for the illusion to fade – he wanted to wake up, to return to the Order and sort out what had happened.

"_You're free from others – why not sort it out now?"_

_I'm not free._

After opening the gate to the Ark, all he had been able to see was the suffering soul and a mysterious figure he had identified as the Fourteenth, which had thankfully faded to the scene he found himself in now. But the 'subtle' connection he had made was unable to disperse – he was left to deal with the intrusion in his mind, and he had a feeling that if anyone were to find out, he'd be executed on the spot. He was still able to control himself, to ignore the second presence and the looming figure, as if nothing had changed; but it was a lie, because something _had_ changed.

Allen just didn't know what.

And he felt as if he didn't _want_ to ignore the second presence.

_Why can't I feel anything…_

"_Do you believe in Heaven?"_

_If you're trying to tell me that I've died and gone to Heaven, refrain from saying anymore – _

"_No, Allen. It's just a question."_

Quietly sighing, Allen rubbed his eyes, sitting up to view the lingering reds and pinks that highlighted the base of the remaining clouds. Placing an arm over his raised knee, he stretched out his other leg so it rested contently against the ground, reveling in the painlessness for as long as he could as he leaned back on his left arm. There was no one in sight, and it was one large field he resided in for the time being. His exorcist uniform was oddly in tact – but he figured that because it was a dream, it didn't really matter. His actual outfit was probably still tattered and blood soaked, laying empty in the suitcase that was situated underneath the wooden bed in the forgotten hotel. The soft grass was comforting beneath his body, but the melting snow left a chill in his skin that felt far too realistic to be passed off as an illusion. In a way, he was afraid to wake up – his comrades had witnessed his connection, and he had summoned the Ark without explicit permission from the higher-ups at Central. If there was any chance he'd be condemned before, it had multiplied to a large amount due to his recent actions. The weird thing, he knew, was that Link had not berated him for using the gate, despite the obvious rules he was breaking. If asked, Allen would say he had no choice; on a sane level, that was the truth – if they had encountered anymore demons or Noah, or the Earl himself, they wouldn't have been in a stable enough condition to even have a _chance_ at winning.

Or surviving, for that matter.

_I doubt Leverrier is going to buy that…_

"_Why are you so worried?"_

_Why shouldn't I be?_ Allen thought, only finding it a bit strange to be having a conversation in his head – with a Noah, no less. _You're the reason I'm under scrutiny in the first place. I shouldn't be able to use the Ark, yet I can._

"_It's not your fault, Allen."_

Then why was he blaming himself?

"_It doesn't matter – " _

_You're not the one implanted with memories of a rogue Noah, now are you? You don't get it. My friends can barely trust me. I became an exorcist to fulfill the promise to Mana – I wasn't expecting to be doubting the very man who raised me._

The voice was silent, and Allen wasn't sure if it was a comfortable silence or an awkward one. The cursed boy didn't mean to sound snappy – or maybe he did – but frustration was becoming his constant companion, and he was losing the will to fight off the biting remarks and the darkness that seemed to surround him like a blanket, stronger then it had ever been. Because it was a dream, he figured, he wasn't feeling ill – but it'd probably come back the second he woke up. From the corner of his eye, Allen spotted someone leaning against a tree, the buds on the end of the branches only just starting to come alive with the clean look of early spring. He could faintly make out the outline – a slender figure, only a bit taller then Allen; locks of hair that seemed to stand up at odd angles, and the outline of a suit that most Noah seemed to take to wearing – especially Tyki.

Finally, a clearer image of the Fourteenth.

"Why are you here?" Allen spoke aloud, surprised when his voice actually carried across the land, not raspy or thick like he had expected it to be. The figure didn't move – still as could be, the Fourteenth stared straight ahead at the forgotten sunset.

"Because you're here."

Simple words, yet Allen felt himself with an unfamiliar sensation, and he crossed his legs and placed his hands in front of him, removing the black gloves and setting them beside him. His Innocence was completely numb, unfeeling and unresponsive in a different way then the rest of his body.

"I'm here because I have no choice," Allen began, his eyes not drifting away from his limbs. "I'd like to wake up, but I don't think my body is co-operating with my mind. Then again, you could just be a figment of my imagination."

"I wish I was," the Fourteenth stated, and Allen finally averted his gaze back to the shadowed figure, which had slid down so he was leaning against the rough bark of the tree.

"But you're not," Allen whispered, a cool breeze drifting through the land and causing his white hair to whip around his face gently. The Fourteenth was silent, as was Allen, and the two remained in blissful solitude for a few more minutes before a headache began forming in the forefront of Allen's mind.

"I need to wake up…" Allen started, closing his eyes as he rubbed his temples. "I need to tell Komui about the level five… And hope to God that Central let's my use of the Ark go."

"Don't fret too much, Allen. I'm sure your friends have already informed him, and you did nothing wrong by using the Ark – "

"It's banned, you should know that."

"Yes, but it was either that or death to all of your Order's precious exorcists."

Despite the words, there was no venom in the sentence, and Allen was seriously beginning to reassess his outlook on the traitorous Noah. The Fourteenth was right, though – the level five had left all of them in a critical state, and Allen could still recall the pain of being thrown against the wall, his back feeling like it had been snapped while his chest had been ripped open and stripped of flesh, his head cracking in two; although that wasn't what had happened, especially if he could still move – even if it was from help with his Innocence – and fight to an extent. A sudden thought occurred to Allen at the same moment a bird chirped from the distance, the sun beginning to fade from view and the reds and pinks transitioning to a darker blue with lighter undertones.

"If you're a Noah," Allen said, falling backwards for more comfort. A few birds flew overhead, stars beginning to peak in the early night sky. "How come I'm not affected all the time, with Innocence in my body?"

"Good question – I can't answer that right now, though."

_Right. You only know what I know – _

"That's not true," the Noah interrupted Allen's thoughts. "Technically, since I'm not part of your memory or imagination, I think for myself, unlike the images of my brother you see, or Cross."

"So you've seen them too…" Allen said quietly, choosing not to comment on the brother statement. It made his head hurt more, and he wasn't content with discussing the notion.

"I see what you see, Allen."

Allen sighed, the soft feel of the blades of green grass registering on his skin. The temperature was beginning to drop, and some inkling of pain was beginning to make itself known in Allen's body – he was waking up. The thought both worried and relieved him; worried, because he wasn't sure how his comrades were going to act, especially Link. Relieved, because it meant he was still alive, that he truly hadn't succumbed to the afterlife like he had first suspected. A few more birds chirped, disappearing into the blankness for the night, the familiar large moon beginning to rise whilst the sun finished setting.

"Take my advice, Allen."

Allen closed his eyes, his body flat against the ground and the pain growing to unhealthy amounts.

"Try not to worry to much."

The remnants of the day and the pieces of the night were almost completely out of view, and the shaded figure that was the Fourteenth was blurring into the dark sky.

"Otherwise, you'll lose."

Allen said nothing as the dream completely faded and pain became his only friend.

iii.

"Komui, we got the bleeding under control, but his body can't take another beating!"

A sigh escaped the older male's lips, his mind on the verge of snapping from the recent events. After the meeting had concluded, and the shock had begun to wore off, the generals had dispersed to their next assignments – with a little less spring in each step. Bak and Komui had remained behind, Link walking off to the infirmary with his shoulders lower then usual, his face one of emptiness; Komui knew Link was harboring information, despite his attempts to hide the fact. Bak continued to remain disbelieving, and in fear for the man's sanity, Komui had sent the Asian man to his check up; yes, check up, because the Chief of the North American Branch knew that Bak was still sick, despite his protests that his health was in fine condition. The fake golems were going to become a nuisance – Komui was grateful that the poison etched into the sharp teeth wasn't fatal, otherwise he would have lost both Bak _and_ Allen.

Fou was pretty worried, though the deity had refused to admit it, and if it wasn't for Wong's information, Komui wouldn't have believed it.

"He will not be sent on any other assignments until his body is completely healed," Komui replied, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses, the door slamming open creating a migraine he hadn't felt in a while. He had discarded his hat somewhere among the scattered papers, not really caring about the mess – he was a mess himself, as were the exorcists that remained in the infirmary, including his sister.

"What about Leverrier?" the Head Nurse asked, obviously bothered by the Inspector; Komui couldn't blame her, but he pushed away his own worries for the time being, intent on convincing the tired medical worker that Allen would not be sent on any missions.

"Central won't send out an exorcist that is in Allen's state," the chief responded, folding his hands on his desk and smiling.

_That, and they want to torture him before they send him out again. I won't let this happen._

"You look like you haven't slept in days, Komui," she said quietly, her tone disapproving, yet softer then usual.

"None of us have, to be honest," he responded, standing up and heading towards the door. The time was nearing ten at night, but before he continued on with his work, he needed to check up on the exorcists – just to settle the growing worry in the pit of his stomach. The nurse followed close behind, not needing to ask where the Chinese man was going.

"Reever collapsed this morning," Komui continued, his face pale. "I sent him to bed for the day; he'll resume tomorrow. With the appearance of the level five… I don't think anyone will be getting a break anytime soon."

"The exorcists – "

"They get a break, yes," Komui interrupted, mending his words. "It was a mistake to send them out on that mission – "

"Especially when Walker had barely recovered in the first place!"

"But there's nothing we can do it about it now."

Guilt had woven its way into Komui, but he knew no matter how much arguing he committed, no matter how blue in the face he became, nothing he said would've convinced Leverrier to keep Allen at the Order; the man was unstoppable due to his status, but the chief had vowed that he'd keep the exorcists safe, no matter the repercussions.

"But we can do something in the future," the nurse continued, and Komui couldn't remember the last time he had this length of a conversation with the older woman. They were starting to reach the infirmary, the twisting hallways and bleak walls fading from view. "Don't let Walker leave; I have a feeling he's going to try anyways…"

Komui nodded, not doubting her words in the slightest – and that worried him more then Allen's injuries.

iv.

As expected, the first thing Allen felt when he opened his eyes was the urge to retch.

But, having already assumed this would happen, he quickly raised a burning hand to his mouth, trying his damndest to swallow the bile that was beginning to rise in his throat, the bitter taste not helping. The room was dark, and he couldn't make out any other people in the silence. After forcing some of the disgusting liquid-like substance back down, he let out a choked sob, his eyes watering from the constant throbbing of various parts of his body, his voice sounding pained, unlike in the dream. His chest and back were unequalled in pain compared to the rest of his body; Allen felt like he had been lit on fire and stabbed with Mugen repeatedly, and his head hurt something fierce. Thankfully, his Innocence wasn't numb, and the blackened hand was being bit down on by the injured exorcist. Dim light suddenly filled his vision, and he was grateful that someone had placed a bucket beside him as he forced himself to roll over so he could release the contents of his stomach. Someone was rubbing his hair, an attempt at soothing the boy.

"_He's awake – Lavi mentioned he's been acting sick for a while, so I guess the bucket was a good idea. Link, get back into bed! I don't care if he's your charge, you're not healed yet either!"_

The voice of the Head Nurse was welcomed, in Allen's bleary opinion. It felt nice to be back at home, and after making sure that his stomach was calmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and rolled over so he was on his back once again. The relief was short lived when the pain made itself known, and Allen cringed as he tried to hold in the tears – he had suffered a hole in his heart, but considering he had fallen unconscious soon after, he hadn't had much time to revel in the feeling of blood leaving the very thing that kept him alive. Now, he was succumbed to the pain, forced to feel every inch of his body suffer from the devastating attack of the level five.

"_Komui, close the door – we don't need anyone else coming in here."_

Something cool was placed on his forehead, and he relaxed his face slightly, drinking in the soothing feel of the cloth; the voices around him were becoming clearer, and he forced his eyes open, ignoring the few tears that strayed down his cheek.

"Allen?"

Said boy smiled at Komui, the pale face of the chief entering his line of sight. The man looked worse for the wear, and Allen's smile diminished as thoughts of his injured comrades stampeded over his brain process.

"Everyone is all right, Allen," Komui started, taking a seat on the edge of the bed while the nurse started chastising Link, who refused to get back into bed. "You gave us all quite a scare."

Although Komui didn't finish the statement, Allen could clearly complete it for him.

_When I opened the Ark._

"Where… Where are the others?" Allen asked, suddenly craving some form of liquid to clear his throat; he smiled his thanks when the nurse poured him a glass of water, helping the injured boy to sit up. His back felt like someone had clawed gashes into his flesh, and he didn't want to imagine what the skin looked like. After shakily downing the water, Allen handed the glass back to the nurse, his eyes straying to his injuries. His chest was completely bandaged, a bit of red staining the white. His shoulder was heavily bandaged as well, the skin tender underneath; cuts and scrapes were beginning to heal on his arm, and his head was wrapped tightly with the white material. Allen could also feel a tight wrap around his thigh, an injury he had obviously overlooked beforehand, but his pajama pants blocked any view he could have had of the injured area. His human hand was covered, the black pentacle hidden from view. Something tight was also around his neck, the skin feeling bruised.

"We're right here, bean sprout," Allen heard Lavi say, and he quickly looked up to find a beaten up red head and an annoyed looking samurai staring at him. Lavi looked relatively unharmed, but a thick, blood stained bandage wrapped tightly around Lavi's head peeked underneath his loose hair. A green shirt and black pajama pants was his attire, his left arm bandaged, a few cuts scraping his right. Kanda was favoring his left leg, and despite the black shirt, the black pants, and the blue robe that he was wearing, Allen could clearly see some bandages covering injured skin – Kanda hadn't completely healed, despite his ability. There was a taped piece of bandage on his forehead, barely concealed, despite the fact that Kanda was wearing his long hair down.

"Lenalee is in bed," Komui captured Allen's attention, the latter blinking in response. He said nothing as Komui turned towards the others in the room – Link had taken a stance beside the nurse, the medical worker giving up with keeping the others in bed. The blonde's arm was in a sling, and his face was covered in two or three band-aids, the angry red skin peaking out from underneath.

"Why don't you all get a snack before heading to bed? There's something I need to discuss with Allen."

Lavi and Kanda shared a look before nodding, Lavi waving a quick goodbye as they headed out of the room. Link was more hesitant, torn between listening to the chief or completing his duties – something Allen found very suspicious.

"It's all right, Link," Komui started, smiling. "If anything happens, the nurse and I can handle it."

Link was silent for a few minutes before nodding.

"If you don't mind," Komui continued. "Can you let Bak know Allen's awake?"

"Yes," Link replied, finally leaving the room – Allen's suspicion grew. Before Komui could even get another word in, Allen looked to the older male.

"You're hiding something."

Silence filled the room, the nurse respecting the privacy and mentioning that she'd wait outside the door – just in case something _did_ happen.

"Allen…"

"What happened when… when the Ark appeared?" said boy asked, the urge to vomit again beginning to return. Komui looked extremely tired, and he had obviously expected something like that to come up in conversation, especially with the scrutiny that Allen was under already. Despite the advice that the Fourteenth had given, Allen had chosen to ignore it, not able it to dissipate his worry – it was his nature to worry, and a Noah wouldn't be able to take that away.

"Allen – "

"Walker!"

The door burst open to reveal a blonde man with a familiar white jacket, his face one of pure relief; Bak shut the door as he pulled up a chair, and Allen was surrounded by the two branch heads – judging by the looks on both of their faces, Allen knew that whatever was going to be said next would not be in the favor for the cursed exorcist.

"Allen, I need you to tell us exactly what happened."

"Didn't – "

"Link was unconscious for the remainder of the battle, Kanda was more focused on staying awake, Lavi and Lenalee hadn't registered what happened," Komui interrupted, his tone serious and borderline hysteria. "Allen, you're the only one who knows how to destroy a level five."

"I don't… I don't know exactly what happened, to be honest." Allen scrunched his face, trying to think back to the fight – after making the connection with the Fourteenth, which he wasn't going to say, he had spoken to the demon…

"It was like what happened when the level three attacked the Asian Branch," Allen continued, looking to Bak. The latter's eyes widened, obviously having not forgotten what the battle had ensued. "I spoke to the akuma, and then Kanda and I attacked at the same time."

"And the room disappeared and you were all outside?"

Allen nodded, already knowing where the conversation was leading; saving Komui from having to bring up the topic of conversation, Allen took the liberty of doing it himself.

"And then I called the Ark. Komui, what happened after that? Did Leverrier…"

The two branch heads glanced at each other, and Allen's worry grew tenfold. Although using the Ark was forbidden, surely Leverrier understood the consequences of what would have happened had he not called the gate?

"_Allen…"_

_Not this again…_

"Allen," Komui said quietly, his fists clenching on the soft material of the bed. "There's a chance you may be sentenced to the Inquisition – we're doing all we can to stop it, so don't worry too much, but be prepared to state your case."

Despite the pain, Allen felt himself going numb; his suspicion had been proven, and judging by the way Komui had said 'state your case', they hadn't been informed of his connection to the Fourteenth – which meant that if Link revealed that to Leverrier, there would be no way to escape the torture; possibly execution as well. Bak's silence was enough to convince Allen he was on the right track, and he had a desperate need to talk to his inspector.

"Where's Link?" Allen asked, glancing to Bak. The latter nodded his head in the direction of the door. "I need to talk to him. Do you guys mind? It's nothing important."

Komui seemed disbelieving, but he smiled nonetheless, standing up from the bed and signaling for Bak to do the same.

"Get some rest, Allen," Komui said, heading towards the door. Bak was trying to decide whether leaving or not was a good idea, so Allen smiled.

"I'll be fine, Bak."

"Don't go dying, Walker," Bak said, waving to the young boy. Allen's eyes widened when he caught sight of the bandage and the black skin, and Bak, realizing what hand he had used, quickly smiled and headed quicker towards the door.

"Bak, did you – "

"I'm fine, Walker. It's just a bite, it'll heal."

_He's paler then usual – he's lying._

Before Allen could vocalize his thoughts, Bak had already disappeared through the door, Link throwing a confused look behind him as he walked in. Catching sight of the injured inspector, Allen breathed in calmly, willing his nerves to slow down so he could have an actual conversation. His voice wavered once he spoke, but he pressed on anyways, grateful when Link took a seat in the chair Bak had been previously seated in.

"Link – "

"I was unconscious. I saw nothing, therefore, there is nothing to report."

Blink.

Why did everyone keep interrupting him?

"However, I can not help you with using the Ark."

"You've changed," Allen stated calmly, a smile beginning to form on his face.

"I don't know what you mean," Link said indignantly, his voice betraying any denial. Allen knew the inspector was only partially telling the truth – although he had been knocked unconscious, he _had_ witnessed what Allen had done, and so had Kanda; Kanda had tried to stop him from doing it, but Allen had gotten caught up in the situation, establishing the connection with only a hint of doubt in his actions.

"Walker," Link started, snapping Allen's attention back. "You're playing with fire. I advise you to be extremely careful the next little while, otherwise, you'll be digging your own grave."

_In more ways then one,_ Allen thought to himself, and Link seemed to catch the meaning behind his words at well, not intending them to come out as they did.

"Oh!" Allen suddenly shouted, his eyes widening. "Where's Timcanpy?"

"Well – "

"Alllllen!"

Link didn't get a chance to finish before Lavi burst into the room, dragging a grumbling Kanda behind him. They both held a few plates of food, and Allen's stomach growled, which caused more pain to rack his body.

Still, food wasn't looking so bad.

"We thought you'd be hungry – "

"Baka usagi, let go of me!"

" – so we brought you food!"

Allen smiled, accepting the plates and spreading them across his lap; although the prospect of filling his seriously malnourished body was intriguing and delightful, there was a more pressing matter at hand – where his golem was.

"Where's Tim?" Allen asked again, not caring who answered. The three were silent, and Allen figured they were hiding something. The food was becoming unappetizing, and before Lavi even spoke, Allen had already knew the answer, his life suddenly a lot shorter and his blood a lot colder, any blood circulation to his face immediately cut off.

"Leverrier took Timcanpy to view the battle with the level five. Komui said it was only because it was a new level, but…"

"No," Allen whispered, his eyes unfocused and the silence of the Fourteenth strengthening his assumption. "It's to see what happened… why I used the Ark… and if anything happened with the Fourteenth."

"Moyashi – "

Kanda didn't get a chance to finish – he wasn't even sure what he could say to dismiss the thought, since everyone in the room, Komui, and everyone else who knew that Leverrier had taken Timcanpy, knew that there was another reason for watching the battle.

"I'll be executed."

v.

The room was eerily silent, and Komui didn't like it.

Another meeting had been called as to whether Allen would suffer the Inquisition; Tiedoll was the only general present, since Klaud and Sokalo were on assignment. Instead of holding the meeting in the usual room, they were in Komui's office, since it was only Komui, who sat in his desk, Bak, who was leaning against the wall, Rene – who had finally arrived, and had been filled in – standing not to far, and Tiedoll, who was on the opposite side of Komui. Leverrier was also present, but Link had remained in the infirmary, having to keep an eye on the very boy they would be discussing. Leverrier stood in front of Komui's desk, and based off of the set up of the room, Komui almost believed that they were rallying against the Central worker – but every single Order member knew they'd never be able to pull it off.

"I have gathered you here today," Leverrier began, his voice breaking the silence.

_Please, God…_

"To discuss the previous battle that had ensued between the exorcists and the appearance of the level five."

_Don't say it._

"And the usage of the Ark," Leverrier continued, oblivious to the silent praying.

_If you're listening…_

"I have come to a conclusion."

_Please._

"Based from what I've seen on Allen Walker's golem," Komui's heart was picking up in pace, and based off of the still stances of the others present, they knew where this was going as well. Komui's hands tightened in their position folded on the messy desk.

"And the connection with the Fourteenth – "

_Let him go – don't make him suffer more then he already has!_

"Allen Walker will need to be tried for heresy – "

_He's innocent! God, please find him innocent…_

"By undergoing the Inquisition."

Somewhere down the hall, shaking hands dropped a fork. And if Komui had hated God before, he sure as hell wasn't about to change.


	28. Chapter 28

All right, I may have skipped a bit of canon in this. Technically, Allen doesn't find out the Fourteenth's name until… sometime during the recent arc. But for the sake of the story, I need him to know now. So, if you can ignore that little bit of canon-skip, I'd be eternally grateful!

Anyways, I had a major case of writer's block for this chapter – knew where I wanted to go, just couldn't _get there!_ Until I got to the torture scene. Mind you, I wrote it like… a month ago, so. Just had to tweak a few things. Might be out of character a bit – I mean… torture. Duh. xD Without more rambling from my muddled brain, here's chapter twenty-eight. This chapter may be a bit graphic, just a small warning. Thanks to all who reviewed and the like, and leave one on your way out? They inspire me. :3

* * *

28.

[the true horrors of central]

_Another punch to the gut, another blow to the head._

_

* * *

_i.

A few minutes of absolute silence passed in the office before someone actually spoke.

"What?"

It was far from a coherent statement, but Komui could tell that Bak didn't care. The blonde had taken to pushing himself away from the wall, banging his hands on Komui's desk quite loudly as he glared at the older man, waiting for Leverrier to answer the simple word.

"Allen Walker has been sentenced to the Inquisition – "

"On what grounds?" Komui asked urgently, his heart beating painfully with a desperation to waver the threat. He'd be damned if he just let this go without proper accusations.

"As I stated earlier – based on what I've seen on Walker's golem – "

"On what _you've_ seen! Have you even discussed this with Central?" Bak shouted, just as desperate as Komui. Allen was fifteen – still a teenager, still a kid forced in a war, and the very Order he was loyal to was going to _torture_ him? It wasn't right, and judging by the silence of Tiedoll and Rene, they agreed wholeheartedly.

"That is not of your business, Mr. Chan – "

"What did you see?" Komui asked, urging Bak to calm down; they'd get nowhere with yelling and cursing, and the Chinese man was intent on stopping this.

"During the fight," Leverrier began, not looking pleased at having to explain himself. "Walker opened himself up to the Fourteenth, making a connection that could be disastrous if left unchecked. Therefore, to deduce whether or not Walker is indeed a threat, appropriate actions must be taken."

"Appropriate?" Bak said quietly, his eyes lowering as he tried to make sense of the statement. Even Komui couldn't understand it completely – how was Leverrier even able to tell that a connection had been made, especially if it was coming from a golem that had barely recorded the fight in the first place? Which brought up more questions – why Central was more concerned with a fifteen year old boy that was more innocent then guilty, and not the appearance of a level five that could injure said boy almost beyond repair.

"That is _enough_," Leverrier responded loudly, his voice borderline yelling. Komui winced at the sharp tone, his head beginning to pound in beat with his heart. "Now, Walker is to undergo the Inquisition tomorrow – "

"Tomorrow?" Komui interrupted, his eyes widening in shock. "His body won't be able to handle it! Surely you realize that!"

"If Walker is declared a threat," Leverrier continued, glaring at the Chinese man. "Then we can not afford to wait around for the potential threat to heal. We need answers. And depending on those answers, we will decide whether or not he is to be executed."

Komui shook his head at that word, his hands tightening on his desk.

_What has this place become?_

"In any case, you are all dismissed. Please refrain from informing Walker; he will be restrained tomorrow."

Komui was about to protest, but the inspector wouldn't have it; he quickly turned on his heels with his hands behind his back, and it was when he opened the door to the office that Komui caught sight of two heavily veiled people standing outside. Assuming they were from Central, Komui's breath caught in his throat, his blood running cold. Central must have been informed – but even they weren't stupid enough to sentence Allen to the Inquisition so soon after returning, especially with life threatening injuries?

Yet somehow, he didn't completely doubt it.

ii.

He knew he'd be in trouble, but he just didn't… care.

Well, that wasn't the right word. Allen wasn't sure what had come over him, but after attempting to sleep with the constant image of an automated soul, he had given up on any chance of obtaining a blissful escape from reality and pain. His wounds were relentless, a dull – not so dull – ache apparent on his features if anyone were to look close enough, despite his attempts at hiding the discomfort. Deciding that the hospital room was far to suffocating, he had slipped out of bed, desperate for fresh air. His skin had taken on a thin shade of white, and the pale color had worried him more then his injuries; it didn't help that his stomach wouldn't settle, and his body felt weak. Lavi had made that observation when he dropped a fork earlier that night – something had overcome his senses, and at first he thought it may have been the Fourteenth, but it seemed to differ from the other times he had felt the presence. After constant questions from the nurse, Allen had asked if he could just get some rest; of course, the nurse agreed completely, and they were _all_ sent to bed.

After dozing in and out of sleep with nightmares for companions, Allen had had enough.

The time was nearing four in the morning, the hallways devoid of presence as he made his way along the bleak walls. He wasn't sure if he was going in the right direction, but he'd end up somewhere eventually, and it wasn't long before his thoughts strayed to a topic he wished never existed.

_The Inquisition…_

Allen had been briefly explained on what the Inquisition was at one point in time. It was a method of obtaining information – and after Komui and Bak had informed him of the possibility of undergoing such measures, Central suddenly seemed a lot more monstrous. He barely knew anything on the Fourteenth to begin with, and yet they were going to try and get more facts from him when he had none? He had faith in the two Branch Heads, but even they weren't powerful enough to stop Central when they had their minds set to something.

And Leverrier was from Central.

"_You're worrying again."_

Allen rolled his eyes, thankful no one was around. His footsteps barely padded on the stone floors, a pair of flat shoes the only material covering his feet. A dark pair of training pants covered any wounds on his legs, but his chest was bare, the constant changing of bandages slightly annoying. He couldn't remember the last time he had been injured to this extent – but then again, he had never fought a level five, either. After destroying the first level four, the image of the soul had plagued him for a while, but he had grown as used to it as possible after fighting so many. With the appearance of an even higher level, the state of the soul was enough to send Allen in a fit of nausea.

It wasn't pleasant.

"_Are you lost?"_

Allen chose not to respond – despite the fact that the conversation would be in his head to begin with – and continued walking, not really seeing the hallways; he wasn't even sure how long he had been wandering around for, but he was grateful when he finally stumbled upon a hint of light. He was on the ground floor, and was left to wonder just how many levels the Headquarters had; he was surprised when he immediately felt a cool breeze, Allen nearing outside.

It wasn't really outside – a long railing stretched from one end of a corridor to another, with a nice view of the outside world clear in between, something that was added to the new Headquarters after the old one had been destroyed. Smiling to himself, and leaning on the wall for support, Allen pushed himself off the ground and onto the thick stone, grimacing when his back met the hard structure painfully. Having the breath knocked out of him, he waited for the agony to pass, his hands frozen on the stone and his legs dangling off the ledge. Once he got control of his body, he finished pushing himself up, settling into a comfortable position and enjoying the night air that danced on his skin. The sun was just barely beginning to rise, hints of pink sneaking into the dark blue that was the sky; stars shone and the moon was almost full, only a few gray clouds passing by, drifting away due to the wind.

It was a nice sight – and one he had missed, having always been on constant missions where sky gazing wasn't appropriate.

"_You're going to be caught eventually."_

_You know, you talk a lot now._

It was true, Allen realized. Before, he had only ever heard the Noah speak when he glimpsed at his reflection and saw the shadow, his name being whispered like some kind of ghost. Thanks to the connection, Allen could now speak to the Fourteenth, and though it wasn't totally unpleasant, it was still odd – especially since he was a _Noah._

"What's your name, anyways?" Allen asked, his voice raspy as it echoed in the silence. It was carried away, and he wasn't sure why he had spoken it aloud. "You're always referred to the Fourteenth. Never a name – and Master never told me before… Well, before."

There was no answer, no voice in his mind, and Allen sighed as he brought up one of his knees carefully while placing an arm overtop, his injured arm limp against his stomach. Another gust of wind passed by, and Allen felt his white hair sweep across his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. He regretted not grabbing some kind of jacket, but at the time, his skin had been burning, and something that was supposed to bring warmth wasn't appealing. He also wasn't expecting to be sitting in the crisp morning air of winter.

"Why'd you betray your clan?" Allen asked, staring out into the distance. "And plant your memories into me?"

The Fourteenth didn't answer for a few minutes, and Allen had given up on expecting him to, when the voice rang quietly in his head.

"_It's a long story."_

"Oh," was the only response Allen could come up with, his mind beginning to shut down from lack of sleep – of course, even if he were to fall asleep on the ledge, Allen knew he'd be woken up by some kind of horrific image anyways.

"_Sleep doesn't have to be a bad thing."_

"When all you see are nightmares, it tends to get that way."

"Who are you talking to?"

His blood ran cold at the voice, and although he had been expecting someone to eventually find him, he wasn't expecting it to be so soon – especially not Kanda. Allen quickly turned his head so he was facing the samurai; he hadn't even heard Kanda walk down the hallway. Spluttering incoherently, he failed to come up with a response, instead settling with sighing and looking back out to the horizon.

"Don't ask," he said quietly, not keen on having to explain the voice in his head. Kanda said nothing else, a blank look on his face as he leaned on the railing with his arms crossed and his eyes drifting to the scenery outside. Unlike Allen, Kanda had dressed himself with his robe, his hair pulled back into a ponytail – why Kanda was up at the ungodly hour of the morning, Allen chose not to ask.

"Che, you're going to be in shit when the nurse finds you, moyashi."

"It's Allen, Bakanda. And you aren't?" Allen responded quickly, his mouth twitching upwards. Although Allen was injured worse then the speed healer, Kanda was still recovering – the nurse wouldn't let him go, and definitely not at four in the morning. Kanda's silence and scowl was enough for Allen, and he began laughing at the expression on the older man's face.

"Why are you up, anyways?" Allen asked, peeling his eyes away from the slow rising sun to catch a glance at Kanda. The latter was silent for a few more minutes, seeming to think on his answer before responding.

_Well that's new,_ Allen thought to himself. _Kanda rarely thinks before speaking._

"Woke up and decided to go for a walk. Figured you would have disappeared into the Ark or something, or got lost, stupid moyashi."

"Yeah well, I have enough people chasing after me for using the Ark," his voice was low, and Allen's smile quickly drifted off his face – there would be no way to sneak into the stark white room, not when Leverrier was already condemning him for using the Ark to rescue his friends.

"_Ironic."_

"Shut up," Allen grumbled; his eyes widened when he realized he had spoken out loud, causing Kanda to look at him with a mix between confusion and suspicion. Chuckling nervously, Allen rubbed the back of his head, searching through his mind for a topic that would steer Kanda's suspicion away.

"You can hear him."

Allen paused as he looked at Kanda, any denial or change of conversation dropping from his tongue.

"How – "

"Connection, idiot. I watched it. And now you're talking to yourself? You can hear him, can't you?"

Looking away, the white haired exorcist said nothing, not sure how to mend the situation. Leave it to Kanda to figure out something that he wished hadn't happened – and as to how _Kanda_ had figured it out, of all people, left Allen in state of near shock. Silence settled over the pair, and, desperate to fill it with _something_, Allen coughed before answering.

"It's… It's not a big deal. It doesn't really change – "

"Bullshit," Kanda interrupted, anger seeping through his words – anger at what, Allen wondered. "If Central finds that out, you're dead."

"So I can hear him – "

"You can talk to him too, dumbass. Do you realize what you've done?"

"Why do you care?"

Curiosity had led to the question, and he hadn't meant for it to be insulting – but really, the relationship between him and Kanda was… crude at best, and the fact that Kanda was actually showing concern – very little – was enough to set Allen's nerves on high alert. He was missing something; something that was important, but just out of reach.

"I don't," Kanda said emotionlessly, startling Allen out of his thoughts. Silence once again reigned upon them, but neither could figure out what to say to fill in the empty void. Instead, Allen chose to just close his eyes, his head leaning on the stone pillar as the wind cooled his burning face down. His injuries were beginning to burn worse then they were earlier, and he desperately wished for some form of sleep, just so he could escape the torment, whether it be for only a few hours at most. Any thoughts of sleep dispersed when he heard more footsteps, both exorcists not daring to breath – there was more then one set, the steps quick and close together.

"Who…?" Allen mouthed; Kanda was facing the corridor from where the steps were coming from, while Allen was facing the opposite direction. Kanda narrowed his eyes, but gave no indication that he knew who was currently speeding towards their hiding area.

"How do you lose two exorcists?" A loud voice called, and Allen froze, the voice tormenting and familiar.

_Leverrier…?_

"It's not the first time! I can't watch them 24/7 – "

"I don't care about your excuses," Leverrier said, and Allen had the urge to punch the man – it wasn't the nurse's fault, and Allen couldn't help the guilt that wound its way in his stomach. "Walker is to be restrained immediately, and now you can't find him?"

"Why are you restraining him? He's injured, for crying out loud!"

"What the fuck," Kanda muttered, glaring at the dark, empty space. The steps were getting closer, and an inkling of panic washed over Allen. Kanda noticed this, and in a moment of truce, he grabbed Allen's wrist and pulled him off the ledge, not bothering to mind the injuries of the younger boy.

"What – "

"There they are."

"Shit," any chance of getting away was slipping, and Allen was caught in a blur as two heavily dressed people ran forward, all clad in black with their faces hidden from view by a veil like material. Kanda let go of Allen's wrist, but before either could try to escape – the nurse was scary all on her own when pissed – Allen's arms were twisted behind his back, pain washing over him in a matter of seconds. He barely heard the voice of the nurse cry out before the black spots began filling his vision.

"Be careful, he's still injured!"

"Thank you for your assistance, you are now dismissed," Leverrier said offhandedly, as if the matter was obvious. Standing in front of Allen with his hands folded behind his back, Leverrier's smugness was basically rolling off in waves.

"What are you doing?" Allen asked quietly, his voice wavering from the fierce amount of burning he felt in and out of body.

"Allen Walker, you are here by sentenced to the Inquisition due to your connection with the Fourteenth Noah, as seen on your golem."

_Damn it!_

"_So he did watch Tim, that bastard."_

"So you're coming to get me at four – "

"It's four thirty," one of the people spoke, but Allen ignored him.

" – in the morning?"

Allen cried out as the one on his right – a Central worker, he assumed, and judging by the look on Kanda's face, he wasn't mistaken – twisted his injured arm a bit more violently, causing a shockwave to run down his body, his legs almost giving out from beneath him. He refused to give that kind of satisfaction to Leverrier, however, and he bit down on his tongue to avoid screaming anymore. Leverrier said nothing, but he gestured forward; the Central workers turned him around sharply, so he was facing the opposite direction of the nurse and Kanda. When he craned his neck behind him, he saw the nurse standing with a hand over her mouth, disbelief and anger evident in her eyes. Kanda was rigid, his arms folded across his chest and his hands folded into fists. Struggling, Allen tried to mouth a message to Kanda before something sharp crossed his skull and the world went dark.

_Get Komui! _

iii.

There was nothing Komui could do.

Kanda had finally found the man sitting in the cafeteria, his head folded on his arms; if it wasn't for the rise and fall of his shoulders, Kanda would have thought the man dead. Lavi seemed to have the same idea.

After watching Allen pass out and disappear with the Central people, he had been dragged back to the hospital by a very distraught nurse. Once back in the confines of the room, Kanda informed Lavi of what he had seen, and the red head had immediately grabbed the samurai and ran out of the room – oddly enough, Link was still sleeping, not rousing from the noise of the others.

Lavi was grateful for that.

They had searched Komui's office, asked Reever where the Chief had gone – they had even stumbled upon Bak, but the Asian man didn't know where he was, either. Kanda noted the bags under his eyes and the pallor of his face; something was wrong with the Branch Head, but before he could even bother thinking about it, Lavi was dragging him around the giant building. It was an hour before they finally decided to check the cafeteria, and sure enough, a sleeping Komui was sitting at one of the tables with a mug of empty coffee beside him.

"Komui!" Lavi yelled, rather loudly. Kanda grumbled something in response, too early in the morning to listen to the loud noise.

"Huh?" was the coherent response the older male was capable of producing.

"Why was Allen dragged away?"

"What?" Komui asked, his eyes wide open as he stood up. "That wasn't supposed to be until later… That… that…"

Kanda and Lavi were speechless, and for once, Kanda actually felt a tad bit of worry – small enough where it was easy to ignore. Lavi was the first to stop the emotional wreck Komui was slowly becoming. He looked almost worse then Bak – worry wrinkles and dark circles replacing a once cheery face.

"Allen was… he was sentenced. It was to be today, but not this early… There's nothing I can do."

"He's being executed?" Lavi shouted, his single eye widening. Kanda rolled his eyes, seriously disbelieving that this was the next bookman.

"No, baka," Kanda said, slapping the exorcist in the back of the head. "Inquisition."

"How do you know that?"

"Shut up, rabbit."

"Really, guys," Komui interrupted, pushing past the two boys and heading towards the door. "Knock it off and get back to the hospital. Don't worry about Allen, but please, don't tell Lenalee, or anyone else."

The two were silent, but they complied. Lavi seemed rooted to the spot, and Kanda had to hit him again just to get him to move.

"He'll be fine," Kanda said, seriously annoyed – it was way, way too early for this. "Moyashi's too stubborn."

Lavi didn't believe it, and truthfully, neither did Kanda.

iv.

When his eyes opened, the first thing he felt was restraint on his left arm.

Sure enough, his Innocence was once again placed in the barrier as before, when he had been able to speak to his Master. However, his other arm was restricted as well, a chain covering his wrist that lead to a gray brick wall behind him. His throat was dry, and the air smelt sick with sweat and metallic – like blood. The room itself was dark, and odd hangings surrounded the wall, marks of Central; he felt imprisoned, and the fact that the small space was fitted as a cell didn't help. His legs were chained, the silver interlocks short and giving him very little moving space. His arms hung limp at his sides, and the bandages around his stomach and chest were ridden with dark, dried blood and dirt. His hair was sticking uncomfortably to the skin at the base of his neck, which wasn't covered by adhesive; his back was leaning against the sharp wall, and it dug into his flesh underneath the soiled coverage, causing his skin to burn. His head was pounding, and his body ached all over; memories of what had happened came crashing down on him, and he groaned as he attempted to rub his bruised skull.

Only to find that neither of his hands could respond.

"Good, you're awake."

"You knocked me out in the first place," Allen responded to the invisible person, Leverrier hiding within the shadows. His own voice was low, a cough escaping his chapped lips and his throat crying for water.

"You were struggling."

"You were restraining me – what else was I supposed to do?"

"_Don't fight back, Allen."_

Said boy sighed, his head lowering and his eyes closing – if this was the Inquisition, then Central was more inhumane then he thought.

"_Trust me, Allen. You don't want to know just how far it can go."_

_You would know, how?_

Allen didn't get a chance to hear an answer before Leverrier stepped out of the shadows, the same two people from before following closely behind – _dogs, _Allen thought silently – and ready to start… whatever they were planning to do.

"As you know," Leverrier began, and the two people spread out beside him, undoing the chains on his legs. "You have been under scrutiny due to the Fourteenth."

The chains came loose, but Allen bit back the urge to kick the Central workers – that wouldn't exactly help his cause.

"Having viewed the battle that ensued on your golem," the chain was removed from his injured arm, but was quickly held captive by the person who had undone the locks. "We have come to the conclusion that you will need to be tried. You have made a connection to the Noah that could place us all in danger, if that Noah was to awaken."

Allen said nothing, and he refused to cry out in pain when he was roughly brought in a standing position; he couldn't stop his labored breathing however, and the smirk that began forming on Leverrier's face only furthered his anger.

"We want answers, Walker."

"I can't… give them to you," he panted out, his mind dangerously close to shutting down.

"_Wrong answer."_

"Are you saying you're withholding information?" Leverrier asked; Allen's eye twitched, trying to control his patience. Really, a simple statement was being turned against him?

"No, I'm saying I don't have the answers you're looking for," he tried again, his breathing beginning to return to normal. Leverrier didn't respond, and a small voice in the back of his head was screaming out false hope; however, Allen honestly doubted he'd be freed so soon. The hands around his arms tightened a considerable amount, and he bit his tongue again, tasting the red liquid as it pooled out from the new wound. His eyes began closing, unconsciousness sounding like a nice escape…

"Walker!"

A slap to his face caused his eyes to open once again, but it also caused his teeth to bite down harder, and he ended up choking on his own blood as he spat it out, his chest heaving.

"You've spoken to the Fourteenth, haven't you?"

"_Deny it."_

"N-No…" Allen said quietly, trying to rid his mouth and throat of the thick liquid – if he didn't die by Leverrier's hands, he was going to end up dying by choking to death on his own blood.

"You're lying!"

A punch to his gut caused him to double over and gasp, the sharp hit travelling from the inside of the wound on his stomach and up to his chest – it was directly in the middle of the opening, and he could feel the blood pool out and soak into the bandage with the already dry crimson.

"Tell me the truth, Walker," Leverrier said sharply, and Allen could tell his patience was wearing extremely thin. However, Allen's wakefulness wasn't doing much better, and as much as he struggled to keep his eyes open wide enough, his head was forced painfully backwards, a sickening _crunch_ sounding when skull met wall. Black danced in front of his vision, and he seriously began to wonder what was wrong with Central.

"_Stay awake, Allen."_

_Easy for you to say…_

"Now, let me ask you again," Leverrier's words broke through his inner conversation, and Allen, expecting another blow, was grateful when his head was freed and he could look at the man questioning him. "Can you speak to the Fourteenth?"

"_Don't tell him. Lie, Allen."_

"A-as I said, _no_," Leverrier snarled, snapping his fingers. Allen closed his eyes as another hit was positioned directly over his stomach, and breathing was not an option as his knees buckled.

"D-Do you get some s-sick… satisfaction from… this?" Allen asked when his breathing somewhat returned, his voice breaking on the last few words.

"I'm doing this for the benefit of the Order," Leverrier responded, as if it was obvious. Allen let a loose laugh escape his scratched throat, which he immediately regretted – more of the thick liquid gurgled up his throat, splattering the floor with new blood as he coughed and heaved.

_What am I going to do?_

"_Listen."_

"Walker, if you aren't going to tell me the truth, then I have no choice – "

"You'll only believe what you want to believe," Allen interrupted the older male, his voice stronger then it had been. Arguing was probably a bad idea, but he couldn't stop himself. "If I t-tell you what you want to hear, then you'll believe m-me."

"That's a strong accusation, Walker," Leverrier snapped again, and Allen felt his lip split from the force of the hit – how these people could handle beating on someone, he didn't know. "I suggest you start telling me the truth – " _truth – you don't know what this is. _" – or you can count yourself dead."

Allen's blood ran cold.

Execution.

"_Calm yourself."_

He must have shown some sense of worry on his face, because Leverrier smiled – _smiled_ – and Allen was dropped roughly to the floor, landing in a messy heap of blood and sweat. He pushed himself up so he was in a sitting position, but it did little to relieve the pain.

"We will continue this conversation later."

"W-What conversation?" Allen bit out, regretting it when a foot collided painfully to his skull, and as he fell over again, his arm was once again restrained and his legs were chained to the wall. Every inch of his body was on fire, and he desperately wished to rewind the days. Anything was better then this – but he refused to show it, his stubbornness etching into his body along with the pain, eager to defy the twisted man standing in front of him.

"We will return tomorrow."

_What time is it…?_

"In case you are unaware, it is currently four in the afternoon."

_I was out for twelve hours?_

Leverrier said nothing else as he signalled for the other two to follow him, and in a matter of seconds, they were gone. Allen blinked a few times, shock and hurt winding its way around his nonresponsive body.

They'd be back.

It wasn't over.

Allen succumbed to the darkness, not caring how pathetic he probably looked as he curled into himself, a single tear escaping his eye.

v.

As promised, Leverrier did return, and Allen was only thankful that Link wasn't present.

The routine began; he was unchained and his limp body was lifted off the floor, the Fourteenth trying to soothe him with words on how to survive the torture. Allen was beginning to think that the Fourteenth was more of a comrade then the leaders that ran the Order he fought for – he quickly dismissed the thought, too tired and pain-ridden to try and sort out his thoughts. After a bit of prodding – vicious at that – from one of the two people, he had opened his eyes, light forgotten and replaced with the dimness of the cell-like space.

"Are you going to speak today?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

Another punch to the gut, another blow to the head. At this point, he could feel the sticky liquid mat in his hair, desperation for a shower overwhelming – desperation to _get out_ overwhelming. If they were planning on torturing him to death, then the Fourteenth was probably going to end up taking over his body. Really, they were just upsetting what didn't need to be upset.

"_Concentrate."_

"Can you speak to the Fourteenth?"

A few seconds of silence passed before said Noah spoke again.

"_Tell him you can."_

"Y-yes…" Allen said, his eyes shutting from the bitter taste on his tongue.

'_If Central finds that out, you're dead.'_

Well, hell, he hadn't listened to Kanda again. He prayed to God that Leverrier would stop with that question, and move onto something that Allen could honestly deny – he had no more information to give them, for he had barely asked enough questions to the Fourteenth to begin with.

"Then you can ask him some questions for us."

Fuck. He hadn't thought about that. The silence of the Fourteenth indicated to Allen that he had thought about it, but was still coming up with a conclusion. The fact that Allen could tell what the different silences meant unnerved him, but he didn't get time to think on it before his body broke out into convulsions, his breath hitching and coughs spluttering from his mouth.

"Now, Walker. Ask the Noah what his real name is."

Allen was silent, but he didn't have to ask anyways – the Fourteenth could hear everything being spoken to Allen, therefore, he had heard the question. Leverrier, assuming that Allen was being defiant, quickly snapped his fingers – Allen didn't get a chance to explain before fist met chest, the hand graduating from his stomach. It took his breath away, and he swore his heart stopped beating as his chest heaved, the wound screaming –

But it wasn't the wound. It was him.

"Ask – !"

"I-I did," Allen choked out, his eyes closing. He didn't care – he couldn't. "He's not answering."

Leverrier grew frustrated, snapping his fingers – he expected another blow, but was surprised when he was dropped to the floor and the two chained him back up.

"We'll – "

"Continue… this t-tomorrow…" Allen finished, his eyes shut tightly and his ears tired of the man's voice. Leverrier said nothing, and Allen was unconscious before they disappeared again.

"_By the way, Allen. My name is Neah – but that's only for you to know. I'm sorry, Allen."_

vi.

"Wake up, Walker."

"Nngh…"

Allen groaned, and the light seemed a bit brighter as it filled his vision. His body was becoming numb in way he could still feel every inch of pain, but it was as if it wasn't truly there. He wasn't surprised when the locks were undone and he was heaved to his feet – though his body couldn't support him anymore, and he was forced to split his weight between the hard wall and the body beside him. His bandages were torn, and blood easily dripped through the broken adhesive, Leverrier not caring how injured the boy was. Sighing, Allen waited for the onslaught of questions – he wasn't going to tell Leverrier about Neah's true name, because to Allen, it was like an unbreakable secret, something about the name familiar and like a remnant of Mana.

He wasn't even sure he was right, since the last few days were becoming blurred, all track of time gone.

His sense of smell was tainted with dirt, blood, sweat – it was disgusting, but there was nothing he could do, and he had never wished for a change of clothes, a hot bath, or a toothbrush so badly. Blood had stuck in his dry, cotton mouth, and he could taste the bitterness. His stomach had given up on growling – he hadn't eaten for three days, and his parasitic body was beginning to break on him.

"Now," Leverrier began, slapping Allen himself. The boy stood shocked for a few seconds as his head snapped to the side, but it quickly passed. "Is the Fourteenth willing to respond?"

"He hasn't said a word in the last few days," Allen said quietly, hoping to whatever God was looking out for him to end the nightmare.

"Have you closed the connection?"

Allen blinked, an excuse basically handed to him.

"_Go with it! The man's a fool!"_

"I… I think so…"

"You've closed off the connection, therefore, we can not gain any information!"

Oh. It was a trap.

"_Bastard."_

_You're not helping._

"Walker!" Another punch, this time to the gut – thankful it wasn't to his chest, Allen forced himself to regain his lost breath. "Were you able to obtain any information from the Noah?"

"…N-no…"

Leverrier was silent, assessing, and if Allen ever chose a time to plead to God, he chose now.

_The Inquisition isn't about being guilty or not…_

"Your sentence is now completed," Leverrier began, the first glimpse of hope for Allen.

…_they want to me to speak. And even if I don't know anything, it won't stop what they're doing._

"We will have the final verdict for you as soon as possible."

Allen was cut loose from the hands holding him, but the chains remained on the ground untouched, Allen free – except he couldn't move, his body too beaten to support him.

"Inform Komui to retrieve Walker. Inspector Link will still be observing him until the final sentence."

Allen watched through lidded eyes as Leverrier left, but for some reason, unconsciousness refused to overtake him. He was left to lay on the cold floor, dirt and blood and sweat caked into his hair and into his pants, his bandages barely covering the possibly infected wounds. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he'd make it through another night, but he refused to give up, focusing on staying awake and waiting for Komui – or someone – to realize where he was, to take him out of the hellhole.

"_You're alive."_

_Barely._

"_But you still stood through something that most would have died from."_

_What's the point of it? I mean, you either die from torture, or die from execution. _

"_Allen…"_

_You said your name was Neah, right? Well, please, Neah, for once – be silent. I don't think I can handle another voice right now._

Allen let his eyes drift, so only a sliver of light could penetrate past. However, he thought he could hear distant footsteps, though it was more like a faraway dream… Was his name being called? He registered arms being wrapped around him, but he couldn't focus anymore.

"Allen, stay awake!"

Couldn't they see he just wanted to sleep?

"_Stay awake."_

_You spoke. Again._

"_Sorry, but if you fall asleep, you may not wake up."_

"Allen!"

Sighing internally, Allen forced his eyes opened, and was pleased to see that it was Komui and Bak in the room this time, not Leverrier. However, as Komui reached over, Allen flinched, his wounds still tender and any sense of touch unappealing. Komui retrieved his hand, anxiousness and worry in his eyes. Attempting to smile, Allen tried to reassure them he was fine, but his lips refused to meet his demand – instead, his body was once again cast into a coughing fit, specks of blood spotting Komui's white jacket.

"S-So – "

"Quiet," Bak said softly – Allen didn't know Bak could be that soft… - and he was gently lifted by the Asian man; he bit back the scream that wanted to leave his throat, his body in more pain then humanly possible.

"Get him to the hospital wing immediately, I need to speak with Leverrier," there was a bitter tone to Komui's words, something Allen rarely heard from the Branch Head. "Don't let anyone into the room – not Lenalee, not Lavi, no one."

_They think I'm broken –_

"_They only want what's best."_

_Keeping me from my friends – _

"_You wouldn't let Komui touch you, Allen. I doubt seeing your friends would be beneficial right now."_

Allen sighed, not feeling up to arguing with Neah. All he wanted to do was _sleep_, to be free of pain if only for a bit; however, Bak seemed adamant on not letting that happen.

"Stay awake," the blonde man said, walking swiftly and carefully to the hospital ward, Allen assumed. He couldn't see where they were going – his eyes were closed and his head was against the older man's chest. "The nerve of that bastard…"

"_I like this guy."_

_Please, be quiet. You're giving me a headache._

"_Sorry, Allen."_

He tried to send a silent message that he wasn't angry at Neah, that he really just wanted silence in his mind, but he wasn't sure if it was sent across or not – he wasn't even sure why he was reassuring the Noah, but again, he didn't bother taking apart his thoughts.

Despite the protests, Allen couldn't stop sleep, and Neah couldn't keep him awake.


	29. Chapter 29

Well, here's twenty nine, and since it was delayed, I'll leave the abnormally long a/n until the end. I suggest you read it once you're done the chapter! But basically, this is some perspectives of the others, and what they think. An interlude. I felt like I was writing a one shot, and I really wish this could have turned out better, but being sick and having writer's block kind of sucks… But, enjoy, and leave a review on your way out? Note that the 'clown' referred to in the beginning of this chapter is Cosimo, the one who beat up Allen when he was in the circus without Mana.

* * *

29.

[interlude of the damned]

"_Don't kid yourself, you don't fight for the Order, not anymore. You fight for the demons, correct?"_

_

* * *

_i.

Somewhere in the distance, underneath the setting sun that highlighted the bright grass and rocky road, a young boy sat against a tree, his auburn hair up in a ponytail because no one had cut it in God knows how long. His eyes were lidded over with pain, a bruise covering the side of his pale cheek from a beating that had come from a misguided clown. His clothes were worn and tatty, barely fitting his small form and covering his red and tender skin. Just a few feet away stood a man with a top hat and a suitcase, his gaze soft but not reaching the small boy in front of him. He knelt down, holding out his hand as a gesture of good will, but the boy just slapped it away – he had only agreed to come along because he was tired of the circus; he'd be damned if he was just going to open up and let the man in. Not when so many had broken the bitter trust he grudgingly gave out. No, trust got him nowhere, and it never would.

"Are you going to come with me?"

"I am coming with you, but I'm taking a bloody break."

Crude words, because that was what he'd been taught. After hearing the swear words and rude tones from those around him, why couldn't he speak like that? After all, he wasn't weak; just because he was younger didn't mean that he couldn't fight back.

"Yes, but we need to find a place to stay, especially since it's reaching dusk."

Sighing, the young boy pushed himself off the ground, ignoring the offered help. He thrust his hands in his pockets, a few strands of hair dancing around his face. At closer inspection, a torn lip and a small cut on the side of his cheek would be visible, but he covered it to the best of his ability. He wouldn't let the damn clown win – not a chance. He walked ahead, trying to get a head start, because for some reason, the man always managed to be ten paces ahead of him. As if on cue, the chuckling man passed by his younger charge, said boy glaring in response.

Really, that wasn't fair.

"You know," the man said, scratching his nose absentmindedly. The boy rolled his eyes at the attempt for conversation. "Scowling doesn't suit you."

"Says you," the boy retorted, feeling the need to defend his facial expressions. They were _his._

"Yes, says me, since I'm the one who said it."

And there was the attempt at comedy – attempt, because the boy rarely laughed. He hated clowns.

"Stop trying to be funny."

"Trying?"

The boy huffed, his hands digging deeper into his pockets. The sun was almost completely hidden by the passing clouds and the promise of rain, a sliver of moon starting to appear in the earliest of the night. The temperature was beginning to dip into low degrees, yet warm enough to avoid heavy jackets; the late summer weather, appealing to most.

_Someday, you're going to see this from my point of view._

The boy just continued to walk, oblivious to the thoughts of the man ahead of him. His eyes were cast downwards, some sense of relief his friend as they continued on the path.

_I just hope I can reach you. You're so young, why was it you he chose?_

His heavy arm was beginning to weigh down more then usual, the limb numb from lack of use.

_Keep walking, Allen._

And so he did.

ii.

"Allen."

It was a calm voice, and though he recognized it, he couldn't place who it was. It called to him over and over again, but he couldn't answer. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move – he wasn't sure where he was, or what was happening. But it didn't feel right. Something cold was overtaking him, like an aura that was misplaced, that shouldn't have existed. He held out a hand, but he could barely see the black limb, nor the Innocence that was engraved on it.

"You can't always protect them."

The black blur of the area began to dissipate, and he found himself looking into a vast sea of darkness – never ending, never starting. He could faintly make out another figure behind the waved wall, but it was distant, and he couldn't put enough details together to earn a clearer image. Just a dull outline, small and fragile. The voice echoed around the empty space, menacing and taunting, familiar and irreplaceable – yet unrecognizable.

"Why don't you just give in? It'd be so much easier, Allen."

Why couldn't he place the voice? And why was it trying to deter him from fighting? He tried to answer back, to tell the voice to knock it off, because nothing it said would change his mind. Why was it discussing his friends, anyways? Confusion wrapped around his fuzzy mind, and it was then he realized he could still somewhat think.

Was it his subconscious speaking?

"Maybe I'm your subconscious. Maybe it's not me that wants to you to give in. Maybe it's… Allen that wants you to give in."

The voice had stopped making sense, and he was growing frustrated.

"Or maybe… you gave in a long time ago. I mean, losing your Innocence – " some of the pieces were starting to fall together, the sea of darkness wavering and breaking and shattering –

"Allen, you're going to lose those precious to you. We'll make sure of it. We're already close, aren't we? After all, I'm able to talk to you."

Why wouldn't the voice be quiet? Why was he in the sufferable sea that wouldn't let go of him – he could feel his breath stopping and his heart, and his body felt like lead –

"Maybe you should just… wake up? I'm sure you'll give in eventually. Even you can't hold out forever."

Wake up, that was sounding nice, but he didn't know how, _why could he never wake up when he needed to _–

"Stop this."

A new voice? One more demanding, but comforting in a way, and what was happening –

"Open your eyes!"

And so he did.

iii.

He had woken up gasping and crying for air, before he realized that he wasn't trapped in darkness.

His conscious had fallen into a state where he was blissfully unaware of his surroundings, or the condition of his body – but like everything else, it had to end, and Allen found it had ended far too soon. His mind had instantly retreated back to the nightmares he had been accustomed too, and the sea of black was still causing him distress, despite his efforts to push it to the back of his mind. He was disoriented when his eyes finally cracked open enough to gain a sense of awareness, but it didn't do much to soothe the pain that affected him as soon as he obtained the wakeful state – not just physically, but mentally too. The room was cool, something he was grateful for – it was a welcome change from the cell he had been imprisoned in, and he mentally shuddered when his thoughts strayed that far. After being placed in the stark white hospital room by Bak, he couldn't recall much else. Falling into a deep slumber after being picked up by the Asian branch head, he hadn't had enough sense to go over what had happened, what he had just witnessed and what he had fallen victim to. The Fourteenth was mostly silent as well, Neah not sure on what to say because Allen wasn't exactly… himself.

Allen wasn't even sure what 'himself' was.

"_Why does it matter what they think?"_

_Because I fight – _

"_Don't kid yourself, you don't fight for the Order, not anymore. You fight for the demons, correct?"_

Allen refused to answer, because then he'd truly believe he was a traitor.

After regaining his lost breath, his eyes had opened enough to assess his surroundings. Fighting past the horrible ache in every part of his body, he found that he was once again placed in the hospital, as if he had never left the room at four in the morning to clear his head; the room smelled of lemon and antiseptics, and he could hear bustling footsteps not far away. His body felt tied down, as if wires were protruding from him, connected to the odd machines that were becoming too much of a common occurrence. He couldn't see much past the end of the bed, for the room was bathed in little light and Allen assumed it was late in the evening.

_I need better sleep patterns._

"_You shouldn't have fallen asleep in the first place."_

_Don't start this._

"Mr. Walker, can you concentrate?"

The voice of the nurse had startled him out of any argument he was about to start with Neah; he wasn't sure if it was because he hadn't heard her walk over, or if it was because he hadn't ever heard her tone so soft before. Attempting to answer, he was unsurprised when his voice didn't co-operate – instead, his throat cracked and he desperately wished for the water he had been deprived of for three days straight. He tried to lift up a bruised hand when she offered him a glass, but the nurse shook her heard before Allen could lift his limb up off the bed. The nurse sighed as she put the glass to his chapped lips, and although he felt a bit babied at the notion, he gratefully drank the cool liquid, relishing in the soothing feel of the water.

"Don't expect to be moving around much for the next little while, Walker," she said, placing the glass back down on the wooden table when he had finished drinking. He tried to answer, but once again, his voice did little but squeak miserably.

"Stop trying to talk, and just listen. You're bed ridden for the next week, whether you like it or _not_," the nurse said the last part forcefully when Allen had attempted to disagree, and any sign of arguing disappeared with the stern look on her face. "Now, someone is here to see you."

Allen nodded, and the nurse smiled before placing a hand on the exorcist's, feeling the pulse – Allen flinched, and the nurse recoiled.

"_Allen?"_

_I'm fine._

"Allen," a familiar voice called out, and he was relieved to see it was only Komui; he looked tired and sleep deprived, his trademark hat gone and his glasses falling off of his face. Even his clothes seemed baggier then usual, and Allen was doubting the well being of the leader of Headquarters. Said leader walked over by the bed, trying to put on a supportive look for the boy lying in pain. "How do you feel?"

Forcing out some kind of word, Allen responded to the best of his ability.

"Fi – "

"For the sake of everyone's sanity, refrain from saying that, Walker," the nurse called out, and Allen watched through lidded eyes as she rearranged some vials in the nearby cupboard. What else was he supposed to say? He didn't want to worry Komui –

"_Tell him the truth. You were tortured, Allen. No one expects you to be 'fine.'"_

"But I am," Allen responded to both parties, but regretted it when his voice broke and he started coughing, his eyes shut tightly and his body curling into itself. If there was ever a time he wished for sleep – and the nightmares it brought – it was then. He heard someone sigh before a hand was placed on his forehead.

" – _give him something to – "_

"_Yes, yes, but you need to leave now. And I order you to go to bed! You've been up for three days – "_

"_I have no choice – "_

"_Go, now. And tell Bak the same! You people are no help if you're sleep deprived! I'll make sure Lenalee ensures that as well. Go!"_

Allen's coughing began slowing down, but the pain it brought was just beginning. His eyes were still tightly closed, but for some reason, all he could see behind his dark eyelids was the waved wall and the body of the voice he couldn't make out –

"_Calm down, Allen."_

_Calm down? I don't know what's happening, or who it was – _

"_Don't worry about who it was. Right now, you should probably focus on staying alive."_

Then it clicked.

Neah knew who it was –

He didn't get a chance to finish a coherent thought before something sharp was in his arm, and his body immediately straightened itself out as Allen tried to find the source of the jab of pain. He caught sight of the nurse standing over him, Komui gone and the door leaving an empty echo in its wake. The nurse looked caught between worry and anxiousness, and Allen had the urge to sigh – of course, his body wasn't responding, numb replacing ache – and before he could argue, the needle was out of his arm and reality was becoming nothing.

iv.

"He could have _died!"_

"I know, Lenalee, but there's nothing I can do now."

The office was cold and cast in an eerie atmosphere that didn't suit the five occupants. Three of the exorcists – Lenalee, Lavi, and Kanda – plus Bak and Komui were situated around the room. Bak was leaning against the wall beside Komui's chair, and Kanda, who was seated on the couch with the other two, could tell the man looked defeated. Even Komui was struggling to contain his disdain at the current situation, and Lavi was beginning to believe the Order was falling apart.

It wouldn't be surprising, but he had to document it without emotions.

Lenalee refused to cry, because crying really didn't get her anywhere. But she could feel the burning behind her eyes from the complete frustration at not being able to do anything about the piece of her world that was put through hell.

Again.

She was surprised that they had even caught a glimpse of Allen after what had happened, but they had.

"This isn't right! And no one even cared to tell me until today! He was gone for _three days!_"

"You needed your rest," Lavi said quietly, looking off to the side and away from the exorcist sitting in between him and Kanda. "And we weren't supposed to inform anyone. We weren't even supposed to know."

Bak coughed, his eyes scrunching up from the discomfort. Despite probing from the nurse, he was intent on staying as far away from the hospital as possible. He had more important matters to attend to, and although his hand was still sore, he'd get it checked out when he returned to the Asian Branch.

"Then how did you two find out?" Lenalee asked, glancing between the red head and the samurai. Kanda said nothing, his eyes closed and his arms crossed. Lavi sighed, and Lenalee noticed the dark circle appearing under his normally vibrant emerald eye. An awkward silence passed over, no one sure on how to answer the question – even Komui didn't know how Kanda had been the one to find out, and inform Lavi.

"This isn't right…" Lenalee muttered, placing her hands together over her chest. "It's wrong."

No one argued.

v.

Lavi had been shocked when he saw Allen return.

In some places, he couldn't tell where Allen began and the blood ended. They mixed together, but the blood shouldn't have been outside of his body. He was supposed to be impartial, but even Lavi couldn't stop the bubble of hate that erupted at the man that called himself an ally of the Order. Another stupid human, who was power hungry and paranoid.

He was surprised Bookman had not been present to record the Inquisition; he hadn't gotten a chance to ask the panda, either, not with the nurse anxious and stressed, reverting to locking the door as to not let the injured members out unless to go to the cafeteria or facilities – which, unluckily, included Lavi, along with Kanda and Link. After bombarding Komui with question after question, he had finally given up on getting answers, trying not to slip to Lenalee what was happening. The girl was more tense then usual, and although she didn't know where Allen was, Lavi had a feeling she had an idea – but refused to believe it.

He couldn't blame her.

Lavi knew it was bad when even Kanda was quieter and more agitated, which was something of itself. The stoic exorcist had diligently reminded them that he didn't care what happened to moyashi, but even Kanda couldn't deny that a fifteen year old kid going through torture was cause for worry. Link rarely talked to any of them, and Lavi had caught the blonde man running off on the first day that Allen had been taken in, and he figured it was to go talk to Leverrier. When he returned, he still had the expressionless mask on, as if nothing was different.

But Lavi was different, and he could tell that, underneath the strong exterior, Link was just a bit worried.

_Hah,_ Lavi had found it disturbing. _Even the dog is afraid._

Lavi had attempted to figure out what Central's ulterior motive was; even they had to agree using the Ark to save their top exorcists was priority, despite the rules. Why would they put Allen through the Inquisition?

But Leverrier had then taken Timcanpy, and the red head knew that Allen wouldn't be getting off easy.

But torture? Somehow, Lavi doubted that Central had agreed to that. And his thoughts based off that matter would be considered heresy, and he therefore kept it to himself – however, he was a bookman in training, and from training, he knew what to look for. Leverrier conspiring against the Order was unlikely, but Leverrier conspiring against Allen was highly possible. Would he go through any means necessary to obtain the results of his conspiracy?

Did Leverrier act on his own, without the consent from Central?

vi.

Seeing Allen in the state he was in wasn't something she was looking forward to, but at least he was alive, and for that much, she was grateful.

Lenalee couldn't be grateful for that man; that man, which had caused her more grief then she could recall, had harmed her brother, her friends. When she had finally managed to gain access that went past the outside of the hospital – her brother could be overbearing – she had found out that Allen was no where to be found, but was told not to worry. Coupled with the recent events – Ark, something with the Fourteenth, and general tension _everywhere_ – Allen wasn't present.

He was taken.

She hated to believe it, because Allen had been through more then enough, yet they were putting him through more. Of course, she could have been completely wrong, overreacting. But judging by the expressions and constant worry, she couldn't put her doubts to rest. To see him beat up and breathing hard was something she would never be able to put to rest. How could someone even result to that? How could someone be able to handle dishing out the damage? Some kind of guilt must have plagued Central.

Again, the doubt.

After talking to Lavi about it – after seeing Allen, and finding out that he was stable for the time being – he had just shaken his head, attempting to reassure her.

_And possibly himself._

"He'll be fine," Lavi had said. "He's been through worse."

Sure he has, Lenalee wanted to respond. But that doesn't mean he'll be all right.

After all, one can only take so much.

But until that day came, Lenalee vowed to do what she could, because she'd be beaten herself before she let someone else suffer under Central, especially a piece of her world.

vii.

He had grown up with Central, had served with them, and he'd never questioned their ways.

But upon seeing Walker's broken form only minutes after being released, the inkling of doubt he had forced and pushed and restrained to the farthest, darkest corners of his mind had resurfaced, quick and agile. Sure, he had seen what could happen when considered a traitor. He had seen the result of heresy, of treachery at its finest; but rarely had he seen someone so young suffer. Allen Walker, in his recordings, opinions, unbiased observation, was not a traitor – was possibly the least traitorous person he had witnessed.

Well, maybe not, but close enough.

Unbiased seemed to be becoming a very loose term with him, Howard Link realized. Unbiased was supposed to mean not favoring that who he watched; in this case, Allen Walker. He was supposed to observe and report, to watch for any signs that Walker was a threat – then why, in God's name, was he questioning his occupation, his assignment? Central was his support, Central was his loyalty –

It all fell back to Central.

Perhaps his latest musings stemmed from the completely unexpected torture Walker had been subjected to. After all, Link had been sleeping when Walker managed to sneak out of the _hospital ward_ – how the kid managed to get away with no one knowing, Link had yet to figure out – and it wasn't until sometime that day that Lavi, of all people, had told him what happened; Walker had officially been sentenced and was probably undergoing that sentence as they spoke. A nod from the other exorcist present – Kanda – was the only other affirmation he needed. What confused him more, was that Link was not informed of the official sentencing. Yes, he was injured. Yes, he was supposed to be in the ward with the others who had returned from the God awful mission –

That was no excuse to be left out of something as important as the fate of his charge.

When cornering Leverrier later that day – _who had blood on his hands, Link dutifully noted, and it wasn't long before it was pushed away _– he had questioned respectfully, not sure on why he was so intent on getting answers that, surprisingly, _did_ concern him. Technically, anything concerning Walker was his concern. It was by word of the man in front of him – when had this all become so complicated? Link wondered.

"He was deemed a possible threat."

_By who?_ Link had to bite his tongue. Another sign he was slipping, and God help him if he was slipping.

"Do not worry, Inspector Link. Once the sentence is finished, you are to return to your duties. Understood?"

Nod, salute, watch as the man walks away. Why, why had it become so difficult to pledge loyalty?

He had seen the look on Walker's face when he had seen the spirit of the level five – and yes, Link had to admit, he was grateful he was not Walker – and he had seen the utter astonishment of everyone in the shattered room when the same demon had basically crushed Walker with a _flick_, for crying out loud. The kid could survive a hole in his heart – Link had been informed of that, obviously – and could survive multiple confrontations with the embodiment of evil, and his family that was just as sadistic – if not more so. And yet he had been beaten by a demon? It didn't seem right, and it was only when the demon started laughing that Link realized he didn't stand a chance. He couldn't hold something off of that level of power. Grabbing Walker – _God, you can't seriously let him die here, what am I thinking? _ - he had positioned them in the safest place he deemed possible.

Some kind of rubble that barely worked as some kind of shield.

He could hear the fighting, the shouts, the terror. The room was cold, and Link was sure he'd never felt something like that before. When Walker actually _breathed_, maybe he felt relief. Relief that Walker was alive? Maybe. Unbiased? Becoming looser the longer he observed and reported. Then the kid decided to try and play hero again, despite the bodily injuries that should have destroyed him.

Then the world went black and any attempt to stop Walker was burned from his tongue.

While watching the Fourteenth connect with Walker – or maybe it was the other way around? – Link felt panic, a spot of panic that he shouldn't have felt. It happened fast, and despite his duty, he honestly thought for two seconds to store the information away.

Why?

He didn't care to know at that point, and truth be told, he was relieved when Walker called the Ark. Yes, it was against Central rules, but unless Central wanted their best exorcists dead, they could let it go – yet another, very large, sign he was slipping beyond belief.

God help him.

And after trying to tell that to the occupants of the meeting that was held, he saw Komui's gaze, the incriminating stare that alerted him to his slight obviousness towards Walker, and Link had vowed to stop being biased. He was an observer, a Crow, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing of equal value when it came to Walker, his _charge,_ and charge alone.

Not friend, not comrade – well, the Order was supposed to be one large family, or something like that – just a possible traitor that was supposed to be watched constantly.

_Try watching the kid stare at his reflection but not really seeing himself, suffer through the missions that left him beaten, all added on with being deemed a possible threat –_

No. Stop, he chastised himself.

Finally, after being told by Leverrier indirectly that Walker was freed from his sentence, the worry that had been slowly eating away at him was gone, replaced with anxiousness at what the torture had done to him. Komui and Bak had gone to retrieve him, and the nurse had barked out orders that no one – including Link – were allowed to see him until they were sure he was stable.

The boy that could survive demons was also the boy that was breaking.

Howard Link was loyal to Central, because Central was the higher to the Order, and Central was what he had known his entire life.

Why was he beginning to question it? He dared not to know.

* * *

a/n: I apologize for the delay in updating! I rather give you chapters that are well written, not rushed, and during this hectic work period, the updating, I'm afraid, will be a bit farther apart. So please bare with me! I want to say the next chapter will be in another few days, but I can't promise anything right now. My assignments are first. I wish I could have made this chapter longer, but I didn't want it to go on and on. And I didn't put in any major, major cliffhangers like my first plan. That just wouldn't be nice. At all. Think of this as kind of a… filler. I really hope you all don't mind. It was either this or the next chapter – with a huge cliffie. (Curse you, school.) I'm sure I'm not the only one suffering this, so I hope you all understand. I really appreciate all the reviews, too! I'm glad to see so many people enjoying this story, and I'm really looking forward to next semester – it'll be easy, which means more time to write.

For the record, this story is not going on hiatus.

For the note on this chapter, I didn't put in Kanda's thoughts for a reason. It was hinted at through the others. Link's added part was for Accountless; I originally was unsure of whether to add his thoughts in or not, but since you requested, I thought – why not? And voila. I hope it clears up some of the confusion! And I really hope he's in character. I mean, he's a complicated person. Thank you for your review, as well! :3

And the "and so he did," at the end of the first two sections were intentional. Why? Well… that's for another chapter. 8D As is the dream. It shall all be explained in due time! Until that time arrives (or the next chapter gets out of my brain and onto my computer – I swear, I'm going to end up writing some plot line on my physics exam. Which, I'll fail either way, so maybe it'll give me bonus marks. No? …I can dream.)

Anyways, a few asked about the Christmas story (where Allen turns into a kid) that I had planned. It hasn't been cancelled – on the contrary, I've been planning it out, except it wont be Christmas. Instead, it'll be a long chapter story that I'm eager to write. When? After Judgement is finished. Why? Because this is my main muse, and I can't handle working on two chapter stories at the same time. My brain will fry – or I'll get confused on which goes where and my brain is a funny thing. But congratulations if you managed to get past all that! I'm sorry for my rambling (I do that a lot), and I hope to be back soon with the next chapter. Some one shots may be added in between projects, just to clear my head and take a break. Good luck to anyone who has to do exams as well, and to those who don't, or are working, or whatever the case may be, good luck during the beginning of the year! :3


	30. Chapter 30

We've reached thirty chapters! By far the longest I've ever written (I've dabbled with Harry Potter, when I first joined two years ago, but my writing left a lot to be desired) and we're not even at the end yet! Almost three months since I started this story. Thank you all for your wonderful comments, and for sticking out this long! I never expected to reach this many hits! And yes, I love Link too. That's why he's growing in this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter – I love writing lackofcommonsense!Allen – and feel free to butcher Leverrier in a review!

* * *

30.

[the golden sentence]

"_It's like… It's foreshadowing something terrible."_

_

* * *

_

i.

He felt as if he was being watched.

At first thought, he assumed maybe he was just imagining things, the lull of the drugs that had been infused into his body leaving his mind in a confusing, blurred state. Coupled with the extra presence that only he could recall, his blame had lowered his rising suspicion; but after a timeless period, the sense of unease returned, growing as the seconds ticked on. Not knowing the time, nor day, didn't help matters much, and he only took comfort in the fact that he was in the stark white hospital room, the nurse only a few doors down – and probably awake. However, that only tided him over for so long, and the invisible eyes and non-existent breathing was beginning to drive him insane, a desperate need to quell his fear becoming evident.

"_I don't think anyone is here."_

Not even Neah's thoughts helped.

_It feels like it. I can't see anyone, though,_ Allen thought, his fists tightening the soft blankets that covered him. _It's too quiet._

Whatever the nurse had injected into his arm had driven any nightmares or voices away for the period of unconsciousness, and Allen had woken up disoriented but _calm_, something that was lacking in his usual post-sleep coherency. At first, he had believed to be back in his room, his bed feeling different beneath his body – until previous events caught up to him, along with the barely tolerable ache, and reminded him of what had happened to land him in the infirmary once again. He could have tried to sum up the flurry of emotions that flocked through his body at the realization – hurt, mistrust, pain, anger – but decided against it, instead focusing on trying to obtain a sense of time. The space was still dark, though a bit of light peaked in underneath the faraway door, illuminating the outside and sending a bit of comfort into the quarantined room. It led the cursed exorcist to believe it was early morning or late afternoon, though he wasn't sure what had made him believe his unreasoned logic.

"_Allen?"_

Said boy had just blinked into the darkness, debating his options, when he began to feel the looming presence; and thus was the predicament he found himself in.

"_It's not really a predicament. I believe you're just paranoid."_

_I'm not paranoid,_ Allen retaliated, lifting his blackened hand and rubbing his eye; it was stinging painfully, and he hoped that it would refrain from its need to search the area for akuma. _I'm just…_

"_Paranoid," _Neah responded when Allen's statement dangled openly. Rolling his eyes – the inner conversations weren't surprising anymore – Allen attempted to sit up, his stomach growling and his body not in as much pain as he knew it should have been. It should have been cause for concern, but Allen pinned it on the drugs that had put him under beforehand.

Though, he did wish he knew how long he had been asleep for. If he was lucky, it had been a week, and he could be discharged and return to his own room.

"_The nurse said you're bedridden for the next week," _the Fourteenth wasn't too keen on the idea. _"That doesn't mean you'll be discharged."_

Leave it to the Noah to be supportive one minute, then ruin the small flame of hope he had.

Sighing, Allen made to sit up, placing his hands to the side of the bed and pushing himself upwards; his human arm stung terribly, and it was then that he realized the skin was marred, blood soaking out from the bandage at the extra pressure. The outgoing IV in his hand didn't help much, either. Groaning, Allen ceased his attempt, leaning back on the pillow and willing the pain to subside. He wasn't sure what part of his body _wasn't_ hindered by gashes or scrapes – even his legs seemed to be more heavy then usual, his muscles stiff and throbbing.

A sudden noise to his left made his breathing stop and his heart beat just a bit faster.

It sounded as if someone dropped one of the vials Allen had seen the nurse rearranging earlier, and it came in that general direction. It could have been Komui, for some scientific experiment, but the young exorcist knew the Chief wouldn't do something so reckless – and he probably would have turned on the light, at least. Perhaps it was the nurse, but Allen had made enough of his own noise to alert someone to being awake, so surely the nurse would have made herself known?

Then who else could it be?

"_Maybe it dropped on its own."_

_Really? You still don't believe me?_

Glancing around the room, Allen used his elbows to prop himself in a semi-sitting position, enough to gain a better look at his surroundings. Squinting into the darkness, he thanked the outside light for providing some extra help, but he was able to spot nothing – no shadow, no outline.

_He could faintly make out another figure behind the waved wall, but it was distant, and he couldn't put enough details together to earn a clearer image. Just a dull outline, small and fragile –_

It couldn't be.

_You knew who it was in the dream! Who –_

Before he could ask Neah in the confusion, another vial dropped, the echo of glass shattering crossing the room and startling the injured boy.

"Who's there?" He asked to the new silence, his voice thick – but no one answered; it eerily reminded him of the Komuvitan D incident.

Another glass vial dropped.

Allen scanned the room for any sign at all at another presence, and his gaze stopped when his eyes fell upon something gold – familiar gold that shouldn't have been present in any room in the large building, which caused his stomach to drop and his blood to run cold. He could see the faint shadow surrounding the gold, the shape of a face and a body that stood tall. It wasn't just the outline, no – there was something off about the shadow, encased in the dark aura that only Noah possessed. The gold didn't help, but in a span of two seconds, the bright color was gone and so was the figure.

Had it ever been there?

It could have been a trick of his eye, but it didn't seem likely. But how could a Noah have gotten into Headquarters? It wasn't possible – they may have use of another Ark, but the building was protected, and not visible to most. Its location should have been unknown, as well. And his eye wasn't activating – which meant that there were no demons.

_You're quiet. Do you know something?_

"_I'll let you know if I come up with an answer."_

Allen pushed himself up completely, ignoring the shocks of pain that it caused, until he was fully upright. His eyes travelled the distance of the room for any sign he had been mistaken, and the injured boy was surprised to see the gold return, like little lights trailing – by the door, then completely gone. Maybe he was insane, but he didn't care; he pushed the blankets away and unhooked the IV. Neah tried to dissuade him from doing what he did next, but if the gold colors were actually eyes – well, he wasn't taking the chance.

Sighing, he swung his legs over the bed and felt around for something sturdy.

His hand met wood, and he leaned against the bedside table for additional support so he could catch his breath. His dark pajama pants were tied similarly to how they had been when he woke up in the Asian Branch, and his movements felt surreal and repetitive – after all, he had snuck away then, too. As to which injuries were worse, he wasn't sure. His eyes trailed the floor for some form of footwear, but no slippers or flats had been placed beside his bed, and the cool temperature to the tiles beneath him was beginning to travel up through his body. A robe, identical to the one he wore after returning from the Ark so many months back, was strung over the metal edge of the bed, and he gratefully grabbed the cloth before throwing it over his body in an attempt to seal away the chilly air.

"_You're going to get caught," _Neah reprimanded, but Allen continued to push the voice away. _"And besides, you're in no condition to be moving around."_

Again, Allen just continued walking. The effect of the drugs hadn't completely worn off, and only some sense of pain had returned to his body. He could feel the sticky liquid staining the bandages, around his chest in particular, movement causing the material to tear at the unhealed wounds. It wasn't the smartest idea to be walking around in his state, but curiosity had won over reason. Steeling himself, he grabbed the doorknob gingerly before turning it, only opening the structure enough to peek outside into the hallway. The lights were nearly off, alerting Allen to the lateness of the evening. No one was in sight; the corridor was devoid of life.

But, the nurse had a habit of catching him, too.

"_Then go back to bed. I'm sure it was nothing."_

_And if it is a Noah? _Allen countered, opening the door a bit more widely. _They aren't all like you, you know._

"_Thank you for that, but what are you going to do if you find them? Fight? You'll be dead before you can blink."_

Allen chose not to comment. He slipped through the crack in his doorway, testing the sound of his steps as he slid down the hall slowly. Everything was dark, down both sides of the corridor. His ears strained for any sound; after a few seconds of quiet breathing, he made his way through the blackened chamber, his steps barely producing a sound. The tiles were cold, and he instinctively pulled his robe tighter around himself, tempted to pull up his hood but deciding against it.

"_This – "_

_Shush, please._

Neah said nothing more, and Allen shook his head, his body feeling off. Mixed in with the numbness, something else was pushing him forward. He wasn't sure why he was following the gold that hadn't even reappeared – because the Fourteenth was right. If it was a Noah, there was a slim chance he could fight in his state. And considering the figure had gone through a _wall_, chances were, it'd be Tyki.

Well, that would be an interesting confrontation.

"_I think you're losing it."_

Allen let a bitter chuckle escape from his throat. He briefly wondered what would happen if someone _did_ catch him outside of the hospital, but dismissed the thought quickly, not keen on the consequences.

Suddenly, the gold returned, causing Allen to pause in his steps.

"_I don't think it's a Noah._"

Shrugging, the cursed exorcist took a few steps forward, but the gold didn't move. Due to the lack of light, Allen couldn't see anything, and he wasn't sure if it was coupled with the fact that the drugs hadn't worn off, or if the figure was invisible, hiding in plain sight that the white haired boy couldn't see.

He went with the first idea.

The gold led him to a fork in the hallway before disappearing, and Allen had the urge to groan; it was a well known fact he was easily lost, and now the thing he was supposed to be following had left him at a crossroad. A light tap from the right corridor signalled him which turn to make, and he gently walked in that direction. No finders dotted the hallway, which Allen found weird; even in the latest of the hours, one or two finders would be walking around, either returning from an assignment to locate Innocence or just to be doing something. But instead, the hallways were empty –

As was the next one he walked through.

He wasn't sure how long he had been walking for, but his mind was beginning to get caught in a blurry haze, clouding his thoughts and causing him to nearly tumble downwards more then once. Neah had attempted to persuade him to return to the room, because the gold had not resurfaced and the injured exorcist was really just wandering aimlessly around headquarters. Allen had quickly replied that he was fine, and that he wasn't taking the chance on someone infiltrating their home.

"_Right. So, let's say it is Tyki," _Neah said, some frustration at the lack of common sense from his host becoming a bit too much. _"What are you going to do? Stall him? Fight him? Tim isn't with you, so he can't go and alert someone. If you call for help, Tyki'll kill you. You didn't think this through!"_

Allen was going to respond with a reply, but it had died on his tongue – or, mind, anyways – and was silent.

"_You're barely conscious now."_

The gold reappeared, but before Allen could get a sense of what it was, the bright color faded into a dense white – like what he had seen wrap around his hands during nightmares. Did that rule out the Noah?

"_See, paranoid."_

Despite the fog that was becoming his vision, Allen had managed to reach a dead end, the large black wall cutting off any more walking. Why, he wondered, was their a wall in the middle of the hallway? He wasn't sure where he was, but as he looked around through lidded eyes, he spotted a large door not too far from where he was standing, with patterns engraved into the fine structure. It looked graceful, as if it had come from the Vatican itself, and a bit of unknown hatred made itself known in his already muddled feelings.

_What…?_

His feet were leading him towards the door before he could think, and when his hands touched the smooth surface, a shock coursed throughout his body. The fog was beginning to clear, but he still wasn't entirely sure what he was doing.

A sigh echoed from a few paces away, and Allen quickly turned around to see a familiar blonde standing with his arms crossed against the wall.

The familiarity of the Asian Branch situation came back full force.

"You know, Walker," Bak started, rubbing his eyes and pushing away from the wall. Allen froze, not daring to move because he was probably in enough trouble as it was. "You're lucky Fou isn't here. I don't think she'd refrain from kicking you this time."

A small laugh lingered in the room for a few seconds.

"You're supposed to be in bed," Bak continued, rubbing his chin as he paced around; any joking tone or comments were dropped. "Not wandering the building like you're not injured. And if you say you're fine, I will personally kick you when you're healed."

"But – "

"Quiet," Bak cut off any argument that was going to come from Allen, and the latter shut his mouth. Bak wasn't kidding around, and he looked legitimately pissed – and worried, which just caused more concern from Allen. The older man was pale, and his hand was still bandaged, the black peeking out in stark contrast to the white. Looking down, Allen noted his own bite mark was healed, only a bit of black decorating his skin. Coupled with the Asian man's pallor and general appearance, the cursed exorcist knew something was wrong.

"If the nurse finds you…" Bak didn't need to continue, and Allen looked away. "Why are you up?"

"I…" he wasn't sure what to say. That he had seen random colors floating? Bak would think he's insane. "Well…"

"Don't lie to me," Bak said after a few minutes of silence. "If you tell me why you're up, I'll believe you. And don't use the, 'I need to keep walking.' I know there's another reason."

Allen contemplated this, and Bak threw something in for good measure.

"Remember, I'm brilliant."

Chuckling quietly, Allen nodded. He could trust Bak, at least, without fear of it reaching Leverrier – but even if it did, it wouldn't have hurt. If the gold was truly a Noah, then –

_Why am I not more concerned over this?_ Allen questioned himself, realization dawning on him. A Noah could be wandering around, and he wasn't worried beyond belief. He had even managed to sneak away from the infirmary – with injuries that should have been _screaming_ at him to crawl back under the covers – and walk around the large building.

But, the gold had faded. The eyes of a Noah didn't do that, so what had he seen?

"Allen?"

Blinking, the younger exorcist looked back up. Bak had ceased in his pacing, settling with leaning against the wall and re-crossing his arms. His hand was being held carefully, Allen noted, and before he could stop himself, the question slipped past his lips.

"Why hasn't it healed?"

It was Bak's turn to look away. Neither spoke, silence reigning once again. Not sure how to fill it, the cursed boy leaned against the wall and slid down, his legs feeling like lead and not able to support him for any longer. The ground was frigid as it went through his clothes, but he couldn't bring himself to care as his head tilted back. Leaving the infirmary was a bad idea, he concluded. The thought spawned an angry sigh from the Fourteenth, and Allen shook his mind to try and clear it.

"Bak," Allen began, curiosity about the mysterious room at the forefront of his mind. "What's behind the door?"

"Hopefully you'll never have to find out," was the terse reply, and the tone immediately implied the conversation was over. "Anyways, can you walk?"

Allen nodded.

"I know, back to the infirmary," the cursed boy said. The blonde man pushed himself away from the wall before walking over to Allen, offering a hand and helping the younger exorcist up. Hesitant at first – maybe the torture had done more damage then he originally assumed – Allen eventually took the offered limb, the world mercifully still when he was righted.

"Bed. You still have another three days before you're free to leave at all," Bak said quietly, choosing not to comment on the hesitation from the younger boy.

Nodding – finally, a sense of time – Allen followed Bak down the hallway, taking one last glance behind him before the door disappeared from his view completely. He had never seen this area of the Order before – why had the gold lead him there? The thought of the gold caused the worry to resurface; perhaps telling Bak wasn't such a bad idea, if only to ease some of the tension. Steeling himself, he braced for whatever the older man would respond to his explanation.

"There was… something. Gold. Looked like the eyes of a Noah, so I followed it."

Surprised at the sudden voice in the silence, it took a second for Bak to regain his composure to reply.

"That doesn't make sense. How would a Noah get in? Are you sure that's what you saw?"

"I know it doesn't," Allen quickly said, trying to voice his thoughts as he rubbed the back of his head. "But it lead me to that door. The gold turned white, though. I don't know if it was coincidence or not; maybe it wasn't a Noah. But I wasn't taking the chance on – "

"Because you're in a position to fight," Bak interrupted, and Allen was reminded of Neah's words.

"Look, I… I don't think it was any of them, because they wouldn't have been able to get in. I mean, they don't know where the Order is, I don't – "

"You're rambling."

Allen sighed. Maybe they were both right – was he just paranoid? There had been no clear outline of the figure, no way to distinguish the body that shouldn't have been there. The fact that the golden light had faded to the dense shade, there was a good chance it was just a figment of his imagination – or something entirely different. It wouldn't have been the first time he imagined something, Allen knew – the butterfly had just been a trick of his eyes, though it hadn't shown up since before the last mission, but it had still been visible. Maybe his mind was just tired? Between the level five, the fake golems, and the Inquisition, Allen couldn't remember the last time he had a good rest.

And yet he was walking around the Order instead of giving himself a break.

_The Inquisition may be over, but there's still the final sentencing._

"_Don't think about that right now."_

"Look," the heavy tone of the Asian man called Allen's attention back. "I'll talk to Komui, do a security check. As for you, you need to get back to the infirmary."

"What about you?" Allen inquired.

"I'm fine."

"Are you inviting me to kick you?" Allen countered. Bak's eye twitched, and the younger boy assumed that he wasn't the only one hassling the branch head about his health – or lack thereof. Before either could argue, Allen spotted someone standing up ahead in the hallway, looking out one of the windows with a vacant look in his eyes. There was a sling around his arm and he looked as if his mind was somewhere else entirely. He'd recognize the blond man anywhere, and, as quietly as he could manage, Allen walked up behind Link, intending to tap him on the shoulder to grab his attention. Bak said nothing, but he held back a laugh when Link suddenly turned around, scaring both Allen from the quick turn, and Link from the realization that someone was behind him.

"What are you doing out of bed, Walker?" Link said quickly when the shock had died down. Allen was still clutching the area over his heart, and Link assumed it was because he was in pain – not because he had just startled the living daylights out of the exorcist.

"I… uh…" Allen stammered, not sure what to say. A vein throbbed on Link's forehead, seriously disbelieving the kid was out of the infirmary – hell hath no fury like the nurse when she found out. Bak decided it was time to intervene, before Allen's observer went into a lecture mode; Allen wouldn't be getting back to bed anytime soon if that happened.

"Alright, you two," Bak said, stepping forward, his hands on his hips. "Walker, bed. Link, I do not believe you were discharged either, so unless you'd like an angry nurse on _both_ your tails, I suggest you return as well."

"And you, Branch Head Bak?" Link questioned, raising an eyebrow. Allen wanted to smirk, but decided against it.

"I need to take care of something. If I have time, I will stop by the – "

"Bak!" someone called from down the hall, and the three occupants of the mostly vacant corridor turned around to see Komui frantically waving his hands. "Come here! Now!"

There was an urgent tone to his voice, and Allen turned back around to find Bak looking just as confused. Komui wasn't in the mood to wait, and he yelled Bak's name a second time and waved his hands a bit harder.

"You might want to go," Allen said quietly, snapping the man out of his stupor.

"Right. Infirmary, both of you," Bak didn't smile as he rushed towards the other branch head, Komui already leaving by the time Bak had caught up. The other two just stood in silence, not sure what to make of the sudden urgency – until Allen's stomach growled, however, and food wasn't sounding so bad.

"Hey, Link, think we can make a detour to the cafeteria?"

ii.

"What is it?"

"I just spoke with Leverrier," Komui's steps were fast paced, Bak barely keeping up, as the two of them headed towards the former's office. After the frantic waving, the Chinese man had said nothing, just rushing down the various hallways with Bak having to lengthen his steps – something was terribly wrong. Finally, Komui had spoke, though it was mumbled and worried. "Why was Allen out of bed… And Link. Does no one listen around here? I mean – "

"Komui!" Bak called, holding back the urge to slap the man across the face. "What's going on?"

Komui just shook his head, and Bak took it as a 'wait until we get to my office' silence. When they finally managed to navigate through the building and reach their destination, the door to the man's work area was flung open and slammed just as quickly. Komui had taken a seat, shuffling papers on his desk with shaking hands, before Bak decided he had had enough.

"What's going on, Komui? You spoke to Leverrier?"

Komui nodded.

"And…?" Bak prompted, crossing his arms and standing in front of the messy desk.

"He's made up his mind."

The blood drained from Bak's face at the realization of the words – Leverrier had reached a sentence for Allen.

"What… what's the verdict?" Bak asked, his voice low. Judging by the man's frantic movements and the dark circles beneath his eyes, Bak already knew the answer.

"Allen…" was all Komui managed to say.

iii.

"So, you're still my observer?"

"Of course. Now, it's eleven o'clock at night, and you want food?"

"You know me well enough by now," Allen responded, opening the doors to the cafeteria. Finally, he spotted one or two finders, but it was still unusual – he'd have to ask Komui about it later, or Link after he got his food. Thankfully, Jerry was still at the counter as Allen walked down the aisle between the tables, smiling and waving at the pink haired man.

"Allen, dear! What are you doin' out of the hospital?"

"Ah, food, of course!" Allen responded cheerily – Link saw through it however, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes and slap some sense into his charge.

"What'll it be tonight?"

"Just some rice and a five dango, please."

After placing the unusually small order, Allen turned around to Link.

"Want anything?"

"A cup of tea," Link responded automatically. A steaming cup of the soothing liquid would help clear his thoughts, he reasoned. Allen nodded, turning back around and ordering two cups, finishing the order. Jerry disappeared into the back with a grin on his face, and Allen leaned against the wall as he waited for the tray. Looking around, he spotted one of the tables occupied by two of the beige-cloaked members, though their eyes were downcast and there was an unsettling aura around them as they sat. One other table was only seating one finder, and something began to click in his mind.

"Where are all the finders?" Allen asked, turning towards Link. The latter seemed to have been lost in his thoughts, startled when the exorcist began talking to him.

"Ah, well," Link began, not meeting Allen's eyes. "Most are probably in bed, but the recent missions have receded our numbers quite a bit."

"How much is 'quite a bit'?" Allen asked, but Link didn't get to respond before a tray was placed in front of them. Smiling, Allen thanked the chef and bid him a goodnight, before grabbing a table and handing Link his cup of tea; the latter accepted the cup with his one free hand. Not letting the matter go, Allen brought the subject back up.

"How many?"

"More then half," Link said bluntly, taking a sip of the hot liquid and looking away. Allen's eyes widened.

"More… then half?" Allen choked out, the room feeling a lot more emptier then it looked. "How…?"

"The appearance of Innocence seems to be lacking, but the akuma are not. Low level akuma are rarely seen, being replaced by the stronger level threes and fours. Thankfully, no more level five have appeared, but that's not to say they wont."

"And the finders?"

"Talismans aren't working anymore. The Science Division is working on creating stronger ones, but the ones that were makeshift during the attack aren't strong enough, despite the fact they worked at the time. If I'm not mistaken, it seems as if the akuma are becoming… resistant to the barriers."

Allen shook his head, picking away at the bowl of rice that sat on the tray. He was hungry, but his appetite still hadn't returned; he figured he could only stomach a bit of food, hence why he ordered so little compared to his previous habits. Sighing, he took another bite before looking back up at Link, the older male slowly drinking his tea, glancing behind him every few minutes.

"How is that even possible?" Allen asked, taking a sip of his drink. "The barriers were never a problem before. The level fours I can understand – "

"The level threes are becoming stronger," Link interrupted, glancing behind him once again. Allen figured he was keeping an eye out for the nurse – he was surprised Link had even agreed to make the detour in the first place. "There have been next to no reports on level ones lately, and level twos are just as rare. They're slipping beneath the radar; more accounts of unexplained deaths have appeared then ever before."

"The Earl has another plan," Allen said without thinking, not realizing what had left his mouth. Well, that was a good way to avoid suspicion.

"_Anyone could have made that accusation,"_ Neah supplied, and Allen was startled to hear the Noah speak; he had been unusually quiet for the last little bit.

"What makes you say that?"

"I'm not sure," Allen replied, taking the last bite of his rice. "But the appearance of the level five… It seems as if the Earl was implying that he can keep going when it comes to the evolution of the demons."

Link said nothing more, and the cursed exorcist was about to take a bite of the dango on his plate before the door suddenly slammed open; he expected it to be the nurse as he dropped the stick that held the sticky treat, but instead, a familiar samurai clad in night clothes stormed in, injuries still staining his body and an angry expression gracing his face as he spotted Allen.

"Moyashi!" Kanda yelled slamming his hands down on the table when he reached them. Link just blinked, stoic as he watched the exorcist. "You're the reason the nurse is frantic! She's taking it out on us, idiot! Why aren't you in the infirmary?"

Allen blinked as he caught up with the words, scratching the back of his head as he smiled up at the dark haired man.

"It's Allen, Bakanda," he began, dropping his hand and glancing at the door. "And it's a long story. We're heading back soon, though – "

"No, you're heading back _now_."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"Are you stupid? You're not even supposed to be able to move!"

"Well, I can, and I was hungry!"

"Too bad – "

"_Enough,"_ Link interjected, rubbing his temples. It seemed as if _they_ were back to normal at least. "We will return immediately. As for you, you have not been discharged either, so what's your excuse?"

Kanda glared at the blond inspector, crossing his arms. He said nothing, and Allen assumed that he was biting his tongue; very rarely did the sword master hold back an argument. Almost as if the entire hospital ward had decided to defy the nurse, Lavi barged into the cafeteria next, running down the hall and shouting something.

"Allllllen! Found you! Ah, there you are, Yu!"

"Don't call me that, rabbit," Kanda responded on reflex, turning his glare from Link to Lavi. Allen blinked again, seriously doubting that the four of them would get out of this alive when the nurse found them.

"Uh…" Allen began, looking between the two exorcists as he considered his words. "If neither of you have been discharged, and you're out of the infirmary, doesn't that mean you'll be as dead as me?"

Lavi considered this, but Kanda just continued to glare. Something was off between the two of them, and Allen wondered if maybe they knew about the sentence he had to undergo; Kanda most likely, since he had been there when the Central workers had removed him. Lavi seemed to find out about everything that happened around the Order, so it wouldn't be surprising. They seemed hesitant to look at him, just as hesitant as Allen had been to accept the offered hand from Bak.

"_Or at any contact whatsoever." _

_Not now._

"Well," Lavi started, interrupting Allen's thoughts – well, inner conversation. "If we don't get back soon, we _will_ all be dead."

Before any of them could make a move to head back, the door opened once again, and Allen assumed it was either Lenalee or the nurse. Instead, it revealed the face of the man who had caused Allen's injuries to become more severe, who wanted answers he didn't have –

At the sight of Leverrier, the ache that had been relatively calm came back full force, whatever was left of the drugs beginning to wear off completely. Lavi glanced at Allen nervously as the man strode towards them, and Link refused to make eye contact with the cursed boy, instead focusing on Leverrier. Even Kanda seemed to tense, and Allen put on an expressionless mask when the inspector reached their table.

"Ah, Mr. Walker," Leverrier began. Allen noted he was alone; no veiled people flanked on either side. "I see you're up and about."

When Allen didn't respond, Leverrier's calm exterior faltered, his eyes narrowing at the boy sitting in front of him.

"Inspector Link," Leverrier turned toward Allen's observer. "I see you are feeling better as well."

There was a hard edge to his tone, as if he was assessing Link. Allen's eyes widened a fraction, and even Lavi was surprised at the uncharacteristic tone the inspector was using. Link was Leverrier's most trusted 'dog' – was he starting to doubt his own section?

"Yes, sir," Link stated calmly; if he was unnerved by the sudden change, he did well to hide it.

"Excellent," the man continued, turning his attention back to Allen. "Mr. Walker, you are to report to Chief Komui's office tomorrow morning at eight A.M. Are we clear?"

"For what?" Allen asked before he could stop himself; he couldn't keep the bit of venom out of his voice either. Leverrier's lips twitched upwards, and a dreaded feeling made itself known in Allen's stomach, his blood running cold at the glint in the man's eye.

"Ah, are we going to be defiant? You will receive your final sentencing."

Allen's eyes enlarged more then they had before; execution?

"And here is your golem back. It was of great help."

Something golden fluttered as Leverrier opened his hand, Timcanpy flying into Allen's face roughly. Leverrier placed his hands behind his back once again, stalking out of the room and leaving the four others in a tense silence. Timcanpy refused to let go of Allen's skin, and the exorcist calmly pulled it off when some of the shock had worn off.

"Tim…" Allen choked out, holding the still golem in his hand.

"Well then," Link said when the tension became too much.

"Link," Allen asked quietly, not taking his eyes off of Tim. "Did you know? About the meeting?"

Link shook his head, still refusing to look up. Lavi scratched the back of his head, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.

"I was not informed," the blond said quietly, a hint of disbelief lacing his words. Allen sighed, dropping his head into his hands as the realization hit him. Based on what had happened during the trial he was put through, what was on Tim, and generally how the inspector had spoken, Allen doubted he'd be let go that easily.

"Execution."

It tasted bitter on his tongue.

iv.

He wasn't surprised when all the exorcists had been summoned for the 'meeting.'

After gaining some sense of coherency, the four of them had retreated back to the infirmary. Allen didn't get very far before the nurse found him, and he thought he had gone deaf from the yelling and the swollen ear he had received, dragged back to the room. Link had been silent, still observing him, but knowing there wasn't much else to report. Allen had finally managed to fall asleep, but it was fitful, and Neah was completely silent; something that didn't help him at all. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong – not just the sentence he was going to receive, but something else, the gold still flittering on the edge of his mind like a piece of paper in the heavy wind.

The answer was there, but just out of reach.

After being woken up by Link at six thirty, he noted that the older male looked tired, his stoic expression barely holding up. Throwing on the robe, because his body was catching up to him from the wandering he had done the day before, he worked his way towards the office. His limbs were screaming at him, and his chest felt like someone had stabbed him repeatedly without stopping; even his head pounded, and the escape by sleep was an out of reach treat he wished he could obtain. Thankfully, Leverrier wasn't in the office when he arrived; instead, it was just a worn out Komui, and a similar Bak. No one else had arrived, and when Komui wordlessly handed both him and Link a cup of tea, he realized why Link had woken him up earlier then necessary. Taking a seat on the couch, he had braced himself.

"Allen," Komui had started, his hands folded on the desk. "You know why you're here?"

Allen had nodded, and he had hoped that Komui would inform him of his sentence, so it didn't come as a surprise when Leverrier announced it.

"What is it?"

"…Execution, sometime tomorrow," Komui managed to speak, and his eyes were cast away from Allen, focused on a piece of parchment with neat writing. He vaguely caught the words "Walker" and "Fourteenth" on it. His body had frozen, and the cup of tea that was once steaming had initiated no feeling from his hands, which had gone numb.

"_They can't be serious!"_

Allen almost smiled at the near-frustrated tone of Neah, but he chose not to respond, because his mind was barely processing information as it was.

Finally, Lenalee, Lavi, and Kanda had entered the office, but Allen didn't look at them. He could already imagine their beat up bodies from the mission, and he had a feeling they already knew the sentence. Lenalee and Lavi had taken a seat on either side of him, but Allen still didn't look up. Kanda leaned against the wall as Krory and Chaoji walked in, Tiedoll, Sokalo, and Klaud walking in the door next. It wasn't long before Bookman, Noise, and Miranda joined them, all the exorcists present in the barely big enough office. Bookman stood beside Lavi, and the redhead noticed he looked… tense. Oddly enough, Reever and Johnny weren't present, and Allen made a note to himself to see them after the meeting – if he got the chance too.

"_Don't think like that. There has to be something they can do?"_

_Don't bet on it. If Komui, or Bak, weren't able to overrule the sentence, then none of us can. It's an order from Central._

"_We'll see about that."_

Leverrier had finally entered last, eight o'clock right on the dot. He wore no expression as he stood beside Komui, the latter not looking up – or at anyone, for that matter. Allen felt a hand overtop of his, and he glanced to his left to see Lenalee smiling reassuringly at him – there was a hint of doubt clouding her eyes, and he tried his best to smile at the female exorcist, though it came out strained.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why you have been called here this morning," Leverrier began, commanding the attention from the others. Timcanpy sat on Allen's shoulder, and the golem bared its teeth when it spotted the man. Allen almost smiled. "As you all know, Allen Walker has been under suspicion due to the Fourteenth's memories that he has.

"However, we decided to keep him as a valuable exorcist and for his abilities as the pianist. Recent events have come to light, and I have reached a decision on the safety of having a Noah present."

There was a gasp, and Allen assumed it was from Miranda. He just wished Leverrier would get on with it.

"Though the Fourteenth was dormant, it has been revealed that Allen Walker can now converse with said Noah. It also appears that he has made a connection. As to how deadly that connection is, is unknown.

"For the precaution and safety of the Black Order, it is hereby sentenced that Allen Walker is to be executed at four P.M."

Komui's eyes widened, and the hand overtop of Allen's tightened a considerable amount. There were collective gasps and starting arguments, but Leverrier held up his hand to silence the room.

Allen was still numb.

"_He never said the order came from Central."_

"It was supposed to be tomorrow!" Komui yelled standing up and facing Leverrier. The latter looked unaffected, turning towards the Chinese man.

"We can not allow a threat to walk around the Order, Supervisor," Leverrier responded calmly. He turned back towards the occupants of the room, who had grown quiet at the outburst. "Walker is to be restrained immediately following this meeting – "

He was interrupted by a coughing fit, and Allen turned his eyes towards the blond man leaning against the wall, Bak's face scrunched up and flecks of red dotting the pale skin on his hand.

"Bak!" Allen called, standing up and running towards the man. The blond held up his hand to signal he was fine, but the unnatural shade of white of his face proved otherwise.

"Restrain him!" Leverrier called, and Komui ran over to help Bak, two veiled people pulling Allen's arms back once again. Bak collapsed to the floor, the coughing not ceasing, and the room turned into general chaos. Shaking off the arms – with help from Kanda, oddly enough – the two of them bent down. The other exorcists of the room had gathered around, and the Central workers were unable to reach the white haired boy.

"Bak!" Allen said, and Komui placed a hand on the Asian man's forehead.

"He's burning up – "

"Look at his hand!" Allen yelled; the black pentacle had grown twice its size, covering the majority of the skin on Bak's hand. Said man had fallen unconscious, and Komui growled as he called for someone to get the nurse.

"He hasn't been going to the check ups at all," Komui said quietly, feeling his pulse. "He was supposed to get the virus removed twice, otherwise, it would stay in his system, like this."

Allen nodded; he had been bitten by the golem, but Krory had removed the poison. Suddenly, his arms were pulled back once again, and he cried out in pain when his human arm was twisted painfully, the bandages twisting with his arm and the blood soaking the white. Leverrier's loud voice called out over the disarray, the nurse and three other medical workers pushing their way through with a stretcher. Bak was carried away, but the chaos was far from over.

"He is to be restrained and placed in the cell until this afternoon!" Leverrier called out once again, but Allen barely processed the words. The others were all arguing and yelling and screaming and –

"Quiet!" Allen shouted. Link was standing beside him, disheveled despite his usual calm exterior. "Can I at least have a few minutes to talk to the others?"

The room was deathly quiet, and Allen noted that both Miranda and Lenalee were trying not to cry. Lenalee also looked like she was going to kill someone – that someone being Leverrier. Komui was frozen as he glanced from Allen to Leverrier; Kanda and Lavi were both watching the cursed exorcist oddly, and even the generals were surprised at the sudden outburst from the boy being sentenced to _death_.

_Death. How ironic. _

"_It's not over yet."_

"Inspector Link," Leverrier began, folding his hands behind his back. Link quickly looked up, already expecting what came next. "You are to watch Walker."

Leverrier looked to Allen as he spoke.

"As for you; you have twenty minutes to finish your words before you are completely restrained. You are not to leave Inspector Link's sight, and you will be killed on spot if you try to escape," his arms were forced forward and the barrier was placed around them, his body feeling much heavier due to the spell. He glared at Leverrier as the man left, the Central people following him and standing outside the door.

Twenty minutes.

"What the fuck," Kanda muttered. Allen laughed, which caused odd looks from the others in the room. He could feel his body struggling to stay righted, and his consciousness wasn't agreeing with his idea of staying awake – either that, or Neah was deciding to control him for a bit.

"_No."_

"Allen…" Lenalee said quietly, her hands covering her mouth. "This can't be happening."

She glanced to Komui for support, but he seemed to still be in shock. Allen knelt down in front of him, Link not even stepping forward to follow him; it seemed as if he was just as shocked at what just happened as well.

"Komui," Allen began. The fact that he wasn't entirely sure what he was doing – and the fact that the Fourteenth was helping him with this – he figured Neah was actually partly controlling his body. "Is there anything you can do?"

"_Ask him about Central._

"Did the order come down from Central?"

This seemed to get Komui's attention, the Chinese man standing up and scrounging around for something on his desk.

"I'll try and stall them – "

"Chief, you really think you can stop them?" Sokalo interjected quietly, causing the others in the room to look at him. Klaud and Tiedoll looked surprised to hear such a quiet tone from the normally obnoxious ex-convict, but Sokalo was unbothered. Komui looked up when he found a stack of papers.

"Them? I only need to stop Leverrier. He mentioned nothing about Central, and as far as I know, he can't sentence Allen to death without some kind of consent from Central."

The tension in the room seemed to ease slightly, but Allen still wasn't convinced. No one got a chance to elaborate before an explosion was heard and a scream echoed down the hall.

v.

"Over there, Johnny. Rob, that goes there."

Reever pointed in the various directions, scribbling something on the form that Johnny put in front of him. The scientist thanked his superior before running to file it where Reever had pointed, the latter sighing before putting down his writing utensil, rubbing his temples. It had been a long day of non-stop work – as usual – but to top it off, Allen's sentencing was currently happening, which caused stress among his group. Johnny already nearly collapsed.

And it felt like he was being watched.

Passing it off as lack of sleep, Reever rolled up his sleeps and picked up the utensil before going back to work. Again, he felt the presence behind, and he glanced around to see if could spot someone staring at him. Instead, all he saw was the bustling of his division, trying to get the day's work done.

_This is weird,_ Reever concluded, standing up.

He didn't get far before a large stack of papers behind him fell over, almost crushing Johnny in the process.

"Johnny!" Reever called, helping the younger scientist up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he responded, nursing his head.

The entire cabinet began to tip, and Reever cursed as he pushed Johnny out of the way, close to being crushed himself.

"What's going on?" Rob called, coming to the aid of his companions. However, a powerful laugh came from where the cabinet once stood, and to Reever's horror, he realized he _was_ being watched. The demon laughed, and a gray toned man stood beside the akuma. The demon itself looked like more advanced then a level four, its aura stronger then Reever had ever felt, and a startling realization hit him –

_Is this a level five?_

The Noah smirked before pointing to Reever.

"Where's Allen?"

_Shit!_

A loud explosion sounded, and Reever heard someone scream.


	31. Chapter 31

More Noah make their debut in this chapter! And Allen has an epiphany about Link. Sort of. Thank you, guys, for your comments and such! You're all wonderful! Here's chapter thirty-one, since the last chapter was a cliffhanger, and leave a review on your way out!

* * *

31.

[the road to the end]

"_Run."_

_

* * *

_i.

Despite having been attacked in their own home once before, they were far from prepared for the catastrophe that was laid out in front of them.

"No one move."

Generals, being the strongest exorcists known to the Order, were an asset to these type of situations; but as luck would have it, all three had already disappeared into the corridor to locate the sound of the renegade explosion and the scream that had followed. Those left in the cramped office were speculating that the Science Division had just encountered another experiment gone wrong, because they'd be damned if they agreed with the inevitable.

"If any of you try to attack, your Chief gets it."

But Allen wasn't stupid. And neither was Bookman, nor Lavi, nor anyone else that had been doomed to the next line of action, especially when Timcanpy was crushed and the pieces fell to the floor.

Allen knew that it was smart enough to stay like that until they were gone, but he still flinched at his 'broken' golem.

"And believe us, you wont even get to move a step before your head gets blown off."

The two, very familiar, Noah were violent when they wanted to be – which was usually always. Allen glared at Jasdero and Devitto, and the position they currently held Komui in. Lenalee was frozen in shock as she watched her brother be taken hostage – literally – and forced to stand there with a gun pointed underneath his chin, the other held directly across on the side of his head. Although the guns themselves weren't the Noah of Bonds' special attack, it was the bullets they could produce, and if anyone in the room stepped out of line, Komui would be dead in a heartbeat.

After the explosion had sounded, the room had gone deathly quiet as those inside tried to assess what had just happened. Komui asked the Generals to look into it, thus sending the three strongest exorcists out to investigate. Lenalee was about to follow, with Lavi trailing not too far behind, but it wasn't long before the door to the Chief's office had been slammed shut. Allen blinked before turning around, his body still heavy from the restraints that locked his Innocence. As if on cue, the familiar _whirr_ sounded, and the wheel appeared with such a force he was knocked backwards into the wall. He couldn't lift his hand up to try and negate the pulsing, nor could he push himself back up as his knees struggled to support him. Lenalee and Lavi had immediately appeared at his side –

"There's more then I can count," was all he could choke out. On his radar, there were so many blurs that he couldn't make out how many demons were in the building, and his blood had run cold, Allen still desperately trying to regain his footing before he collapsed onto the ground. Link kneeled down, helping Allen to his feet, but the minute the blond touched Allen's arm, the back wall behind Komui gave out to reveal Devitto, Jasdero, and a Noah with sunglasses that Allen didn't recognize.

In his mind, he was cursing, and Allen rarely cursed.

In a matter of seconds, the twins had a held on Komui, the Chinese man silent once the metal touched his throat. Lenalee activated her Innocence, but the unknown Noah grabbed her arm and threw her against the wall, earning a large cry from her brother as he struggled in the grip that held him.

"Don't touch her!"

"Lenalee!" Lavi cried out, grabbing his black weapon, but it wasn't long before a gunshot sounded and ice froze his hand. He fell to the floor in a heap of pain and frozen, bloody flesh.

"Everyone shut up!" Devitto yelled, aiming his gun back at Komui. "No one move. If any of you try to attack, your Chief gets it. And believe us, you wont even get to move a step before your head gets blown off."

And thus, every single exorcist in the room was rendered useless as they waited for the demand that was sure to follow.

"Now, we're only here for one person," Jasdero continued, placing his free hand on his hip. Allen, realizing if they did get a chance to attack he wouldn't be able too, was more focused on getting Link to remove the barrier. There was a low possibility he could get Komui out of their grip if he activated his cowl, but he couldn't do that as long as the spell was on him. Before he could lean over and whisper to his observer, the large Noah that resembled Skinn had kicked Link out of the way and grabbed Allen by his hair, yanking upwards; a shout of pain emanated from Allen as it coursed throughout his now lifted body.

"If you'd be so kind to hand him over to us – "

" – you'll all be free to go."

"And none of you will be able to escape this," Allen had lost track of which twin was talking, so he was grateful when it was the one that held him who spoke.

"Especially with a level five waiting outside."

Any trace of being relieved of the confusion was gone once the words settled in. If a level four could destroy Headquarters with barely an effort behind the destruction, he could only imagine what a level five could – and would – do. He heard cursing from Kanda, and Allen noticed for the first time that the exorcist standing against the wall didn't have Mugen. Looking around, Miranda and Chaoji didn't have their Innocence either.

Well, that was always great.

The cursed exorcist didn't get much time to figure out a plan before his hair was pulled once again, black spots dancing in front of his vision from the pain it caused; the drugs had decided to wear off, and he could feel every inkling of fire on his nerves and various wounds. Devitto realized this, and he flicked his gun, Allen not prepared for what happened next.

A sense of déjà vu played in his mind when he was punched not too gently in the gut.

"Allen!" Krory, Lenalee, and Lavi simultaneously shouted, and Allen groaned as he was dropped to the floor. It didn't help that his arms were still heavy from the barrier, and he was left panting and gasping for breath from the lack of strength.

"Now, now, no need to be so violent," a familiar tone lace with enjoyment appeared in the room through the door, without opening it. Tyki smiled as Allen forced his eyes upward, the Noah grinning as he pushed his hair back. "The Earl wants him _alive_, and alive he shall be."

As an afterthought, he added;

"For now."

Tease left Tyki's outstretched hand, circling around the crumpled Lavi and the similar Lenalee. Kanda was expressionless as one landed on his shoulder, a few of the dark butterflies dancing around his head. More of the Tease kept coming, and soon enough, every exorcist was surrounded by the butterflies that could eat them alive.

No one dared to breath.

"Anyways, we're on a tight schedule. Let the akuma take care of the rest," Tyki spoke offhandedly, and Allen cursed as the Noah of Pleasure lifted him up, grabbing onto his human arm and helping the boy to his feet. Komui was let go by the twins – reluctantly – and the Noah that had punched him opened the door. Instead of seeing an empty hallway, Allen's eyes widened to see the two Central workers on the ground, a pool of crimson surrounding both. Leverrier was nowhere in sight, but the scarred boy still had the urge to retch; the bodies were mangled.

"Oh, sorry about that," Tyki said, noticing the look on Allen's face. "They were in the way. I'm surprised you care, though – aren't they the ones who helped beat you down? That other man is gone. Too bad, I was looking forward to killing him…"

"Can we destroy now?"

No, Allen wanted to scream. The image from his nightmares appeared in front of the door, and his eye's activation was so strong from the picture of the soul that the boy couldn't look away. The level five tilted its head, leaning against the doorway as if it was an actual human. The twins just nodded as they left the room with the other Noah, and Tyki began dragging Allen away.

_If it gets them away from the others – _

"_Not for long! Allen, you need to listen to me, alright?"_

The door slammed shut and he was cut off from his companions. He noticed a familiar girl standing up ahead with someone he didn't recognize; something clicked in his mind about kidnapping, but the thought caused a shiver to run down his spine, so he closed his eyes and willed the feeling of wanting to vomit to go away. His eyes snapped open when he was dropped to the ground.

Again.

"Well," Tyki started, crossing his arms. "The scientists are all but annihilated. The exorcists are currently fighting the level five, so we don't have to worry about them for much longer. Shall we just leave now?"

"I agree," the unrecognizable Noah spoke, and Allen noted he resembled Tyki, albeit vaguely.

Road smiled, her hand reaching out and caressing the side of Allen's face, over his scar. He flinched away, and Road's grin grew. "Torture gets to people, doesn't it? It wasn't easy getting here, so let's have a chat."

"No…"

That was as much as he managed to choke out, because the feeling of death had crept into his body and his throat was dry with anticipation.

"Now, Road, I still think you like this exorcist too much. Oh, I don't think we've been properly introduced," the Noah kneeled down so he was able to look at Allen directly; the latter was breathing heavily, his limbs weak and the need to fight travelling throughout him. "My name is Cyril Kamelot, and you must be Allen Walker."

_Kamelot?_

Allen was silent, still trying to catch his breath. Cyril just smiled, holding out his hand for the younger boy to shake it; said boy stared, disbelieving this was a Noah.

"_I don't think they're here to kill you just yet."_

_Thanks for the heads up, _Allen thought, rolling his eyes. He received looks of confusion from Road and Cyril – until it clicked.

"Ah," Cyril started, retracting his hand and standing up. "You can communicate with him now, can you? Well, that's even better for us."

Allen shook his head – he didn't know what to say. As long as his arms were restricted, he didn't stand a chance against three Noah, and they didn't seem intent on letting the exorcist go anytime soon. But if they weren't there to kill him, what did they want? The lights up ahead flickered, the power shorting out as more explosions rang throughout the hallway. The ground seemed to tremble, and it caused a wave of pain to distribute through his legs; they were injured more then he thought. He heard someone scream again, and it sounded suspiciously like Lenalee.

He couldn't just sit there and do nothing.

But he had no plan.

He couldn't see the twins or the previous Noah. Desperation kicked in, and Allen wasn't sure what he was doing as he forced his arms to move; any type of movement to negate the barrier and free his Innocence. Thoughts of the execution had died on the edges of his mind, more concerned on helping his friends, and to stop the carnage that was sure to happen. Tyki, noticing the struggle, just shook his head, leaning against the wall opposite of Allen and watching him carefully.

"I don't understand you, boy," he started, pushing his hair away from his face again. "You're tortured, sentenced to death, and you still want to protect them? Not even you can be that – "

"Shut up," Allen ground out, swallowing roughly when it caused the urge to cough. "How did you know – "

"You're not easy to follow, sometimes," Tyki interrupted, already knowing the question. "But, the spell vehicles definitely are useful, especially with that eye of yours."

"The gold…"

Tyki laughed, and Allen glared. So the gold _had_ been a Noah – and the spell was the reason he couldn't detect any of the akuma earlier.

"It was me at first, but then the level five took over. Lead you to that door. You still don't know what it is, do you?"

The lack of response confirmed Tyki's answer.

"A bit longer, and you would have found out. Execution, eh? Why don't you just come with us, boy? We won't 'execute' you," Tyki smiled as he stepped forward, reaching a hand out and coming insanely close to Allen's heart –

A red and yellow blur cut off any touch from the Noah, and Allen breathed as he spotted the first sign of hope of getting out of the situation alive. Link was expressionless as he stood in front of the cursed exorcist, the serrated blade connecting out from his sleeve. Tyki muttered something as he stepped back, rolling his eyes and waving his hand.

"You people just don't listen," Tyki started, calling a few more Tease. "Can't you just leave well enough alone?"

Allen knew what was going to happen next, and he pushed himself up to knock Link out of the way, but the tremor he had felt earlier nearly doubled in strength, a crack roaming the floor where he was sitting.

"Link – !"

Allen was cut off when the ground gave out, causing both him and his inspector to fall through the floor and into the sanctum below. Tyki was standing on the air, as he did before while on the Ark, and Road and Cyril just watched from the edge of the hole. Tyki called down into the pit before walking away.

"Stay alive, boy."

It was easier said then done.

He was expecting his body to meet stone, but instead, Allen heard a splash before he met the water instead. Taking one last gulp of air before going under, his body was dragged below, the cold liquid blurring his vision. Due to the added weight, Allen was unable to resurface, and his pant leg had managed to get caught on a broken pipe. Cursing, he tried in vain to release himself, all to no avail. Black spots began to dance in front of his eyes, and the threat of unconsciousness was growing; out of nowhere, the same blur seemed to come to his rescue a second time, a pair of hands pulling on his arm to try and bring Allen out of the pool. It took a few seconds before Link realized the exorcist was caught on a piece of broken metal, and the blond swam to the bottom to unhook the edge of Allen's pants. When he was free, Link brought both himself and the white haired boy out of the water, Allen gasping for breath when he met the air once again.

"…Damn it…" Allen muttered, Link having to pull him to the nearest edge. The entire lower sanctum was in pieces, the area a complete mess. Allen didn't even recognize the room – not the he had been to the lower part before. Link said nothing as he helped Allen out of the water, and the younger boy took a second to sit and breathe, letting the events catch up to his waterlogged mind.

"Link," Allen started, shaking his head to get some of the water out of his eyes. "Can you remove the restraints?"

"If I do, you'll run off and fight – "

"But – "

"No buts," Link interrupted, standing up. The blade was gone, and the older male looked abnormally calm, despite what had just transpired. "You are in no position – "

"Will you stop with that?" Allen all but growled, growing tired of the same lecture. "I can fight! I have to fight! You can't expect me to just wait for all this to end – "

"I can, and I do, and that's the end of this conversation. Let's go, we need to get to the infirmary."

And then it hit Allen like a ton of bricks. Although Link was holding up his calm, cold façade, he could see in the inspector's eyes just how much everything was affecting him. Members from Central were dead, Leverrier was missing, Allen had been sentenced to die the same day, and now an unknown amount of Noah and demons were wandering around Headquarters, creating destruction and death in their wake. They had no idea where the Generals were after they left, and those still in Komui's office had to deal with not only the dangerous butterflies, but the level five that had been left in front of the door before Allen was dragged away.

And, the Noah seemed intent on kidnapping his charge.

"Link…"

"Look," the blond said more forcefully, his voice wavering just a bit; to most, they wouldn't have caught it, but Allen had been around him long enough to know. He had his back to the exorcist, and Allen was still sitting on the ground, trails of water dripping down the side of his face and mingling with blood. "Despite what you think, Walker, even if I removed the barrier, you wouldn't be able to fight. You'd last a few minutes before your wounds caught up and you'd be dead within seconds.

"You don't understand, do you? You think diving into the heat of battle will solve all problems, you think you need to save everyone, but you need to realize you can't! Yes, you are an exorcist, and a damn good one, but that doesn't mean you're invincible! For one second, stop being a savior, and just let us do our job!"

By the end of the speech, Link wasn't the calm inspector Allen knew; and for the first time, Allen noticed the blond was actually… scared. It wasn't the right word, but it was the best he could come up with. He didn't know what to say, but it didn't matter as Link turned around and helped Allen to his feet.

"Infirmary. We'll regroup there and figure out the next course of action. All should be evacuating right now, but we can't take the chance on you being spotted."

Instead of arguing like his first plan, Allen just nodded, following after Link through the wreckage of what was once something that resembled a room. Silence had overcome the pair, and the only noise was the leaking water falling onto cold exteriors. The red coat the blond had once been wearing was discarded, the sleeves of his white dress shirt rolled up and cuts littering the skin. The sling he had seen wrapped around his arm earlier was gone, and the area looked tender and bruised. Allen figured he didn't look much better, and between the barrier and his now soaking wet sweater, it was getting more difficult to maneuver around. Sighing, he stopped in his walking and called out to Link.

"Uhm… Link," said male turned around, raising his eyebrow and daring Allen to restart the argument. "Can you help? I mean, my sweater – "

Link nodded, and Allen was grateful that he didn't make him finish his question. If they were going to be walking to the infirmary – Allen had no idea how close the room was – then being able to walk a bit easier would make the trip quicker. He breathed a sigh of relief when Link helped him remove the dripping piece of clothing, minding Allen's injuries and the barrier. In the back of his tired mind, Allen knew that taking off the restraint would have been the smarter idea. If an akuma stepped in front of their path, Allen would be able to destroy it; but as long as his Innocence was locked, they were at risk. Link may have been a good fighter, but when it came to a level four or five, it wouldn't be enough.

Allen and Kanda had barely been able to take care of the level five, and it was by pure luck and the help Neah supplied that they had been able to vanquish the demon at all.

"Walker…"

Blinking, Allen looked up at the one who had spoken and startled him out of his thoughts. Link was eyeing his chest warily, and Allen averted his gaze to his wound to see the blood soaking through, weakening the material and causing it to fall apart.

"I'm fine," Allen stated, shaking his head when Link was about to retaliate. For once, he needed someone to listen. The blond was silent before throwing the soiled article to the ground and continuing forward.

"…If you remove the barrier, I wont run."

A soft sigh, a pause.

"But if we encounter any demons on the way, I'm fighting."

The attempt had worked, and Link rubbed his temples before he turned back around, a crease in his forehead and a tired look in his eyes.

"You don't listen," Link commented as he walked back to Allen, setting himself to remove the restraints. "If you run, I wont hesitate to stop you. It's suicide, Walker. Do you understand?"

When his arms were free, Allen smiled, his fingers his own again and his Innocence ready for use – but he kept his promise, walking up ahead and waiting for Link to follow. If they were heading towards the infirmary, they needed to get there as quick as possible.

"I understand."

ii.

"Where's Mugen?"

"Still in the lab, but you can't seriously think – "

"I'm going."

Kanda didn't bother to listen to what Komui had to say, and he sure as hell wasn't going to deal with the stupid butterflies in his way. After the Noah had disappeared with Allen, Lavi and Lenalee had immediately went after him, forgetting about the level five that stood in their way. The two had then proceeded to attack, and Bookman activated his own Innocence, Heaven's Compass destroying the majority of the Tease and giving a bit more leeway to those fighting. Link snuck behind the fighting exorcists and into the direction of where Tyki dragged Allen, and Kanda rolled his eyes – at least somebody was able to get away. Noise also began fighting, but Miranda and Chaoji were in the same predicament as Kanda – their Innocence was taken away to be repaired, and they had yet to receive it.

"Kanda, wait!" Komui cried out as the samurai swatted at the butterflies. "What if you run into the Noah?"

"I'll heal."

"But there's a chance you wont!"

Miranda and Chaoji went to the aid of the supervisor, but Kanda just continued out of the room, running in the direction of the lab and ignoring the protests. Allen had managed to get himself captured, and there was no sign of the Generals; they were shorthanded as it was, and unless Komui wanted every single member to die – which he doubted – then he didn't have a choice. Besides, that was his job; to destroy akuma and those who wreaked havoc. They had beaten them once before, and he'd be damned if he let the place get destroyed again.

An involuntary shudder made its way down his back when he remembered the potion incident, and the Komuvitan D.

No, moving was _not_ an option.

Cursing, Kanda dodged the oncoming attack from a nearby level three; he eventually managed to reach the lab, and slamming open the door, he didn't pay attention to the glass shards that littered the ground like a blanket. Instead, he scanned the room for his sword, smirking when he spotted Mugen. Grabbing it, he activated his Innocence and was about to leave, before he noticed a familiar, circular shape and bracelets. Sighing, he grabbed the other two weapons and trekked back out in the corridor. The same level three laughed, thinking it had caught the exorcist off guard, but Kanda swung behind him and destroyed the demon immediately.

It was about time.

iii.

The infirmary was in ruins, and Allen briefly wondered how many level fours and fives there were.

The Head Nurse was nowhere in sight, and there was a medical worker cowering behind one of the pieces of rubble. The pair immediately made their way over, but before either could ask a question, another explosion went off and the room fell to pieces. If not for the hold on his arm, Allen would have been flung backwards with the rest of the once standing wall. Helping the medical worker to her feet, the three members of the Order headed in the direction of the exit, but another bang sounded and the exit was destroyed. A menacing laugh echoed down the hall, and Allen's eye had activated once again; he could easily spot the deteriorated soul, could hear it crying for release –

"Walker, let's go!"

Allen was dragged behind a piece of the wall, and the three were hidden from view when the level five made its way over.

_I can't just sit here!_

Allen held his breath, leaning against the wall and his head throbbing. Link wasn't holding up much better.

_How are we going to get out of this one?_

"_Run."_

_What?_

He wasn't catching the hidden words, his body frozen as it remained useless against the door. He was surprised consciousness was still with him, and not dark like it should have been from the strain he was putting on his beat up limbs. He could hear crashes from beyond the small sanctuary, and he had never wished so hard to fight, to take back what was theirs – what didn't belong to the Noah or the akuma that were currently ravaging Headquarters.

"_Don't stop going forward, right?"_

"What does that have to do with anything?" Allen ground out, ignoring the looks he was receiving from Link and one of the medical workers – his observer already knew about the connection and what it caused, so hiding it would just be adding onto his already muddled brain. Instead, the blond put a hand to his lips, signaling for the boy to be silent.

"_You want to fight, so fight."_

_How can I when I can barely move? _

"_For one second Allen, just listen."_

"I've been listening to you this entire damn time!"

Frustration was winding its way around the cursed boy, and he bit his tongue as a shockwave of pain laced his body, any cry of discomfort swallowed. Link was at a loss for what to do – he couldn't fight, not with a level five only steps away, and with Allen's yelling, they were sure to be caught. It was suicide – and that's why he wasn't letting Walker leave, either. Another loud crash sounded from outside the broken wall, and Allen distantly caught the smell of smoke. His crouched position wasn't doing much for his morale, and he was trying to deal with the regret that wouldn't disperse – regret for not arguing more to fight, regret because he was sentenced to die before any of the attacks happened.

Regret, because he needed this to end.

"_Then listen, Allen. You want to fight, so do it."_

_How – _

"Listen."

Allen blinked, Neah's voice stronger then Allen had ever heard.

"_Keep walking forward. If you find that you can't walk anymore, run."_

_Run?_

"_Keep running, and don't ever stop, because the moment you do, the darkness will catch up and everything you've worked for will be for nothing. Run for yourself, for no one else. Don't think about Central and their misguided ruling, don't think about the bastard that basically drove this to happen. Don't think about your friends because it wont help you, Allen. Don't think at all. Don't think. Just run."_

That was enough.

"_Run."_

And so he did.

Before Link could even comprehend the situation, Allen pushed himself away from the wall and activated his cowl, shrouding the nurse and his observer. Jumping over the debris, he vigorously ignored the aches, the burning, the _pain_ that wracked his entire body. The level five turned around and smiled at Allen, and the exorcist noticed that this demon was different then the one he and Kanda had destroyed.

This demon had a bloodthirsty look in its eyes, and crimson decorated its claws.

"Walker, what are you – "

"Fighting. You told me to let you do your job," Allen continued, stepping forward. His Innocence covered his injuries, supporting him like it had done before in the similar situation. "Now you need to let me do mine. I'm an exorcist."

The demon's laugh echoed throughout the mangled room, but Allen didn't pay attention as he grabbed his wrist. The hilt of his sword was comforting in a way he couldn't explain, and he smiled as the white covered the silver, covered the absence of his arm.

"You're a fool, kid," the demon chuckled, pointing a stained claw towards Allen. "Ready to die?"

"I don't think so, demon."

"_Don't look at the soul."_

"I'm going to set you free."

Lunging forward, Allen clashed with the demon's claw, the two pushing at each other. He vaguely noticed drops of blood falling onto the face of the demon, but he purposely ignored it and continued the one on one battle. The demon smiled before flinging the bloodied claw, causing Allen to slide backwards. Regaining his footing, the boy charged once again, dodging the hit that would have crushed his head. Swinging upwards, the sword ran through the arm of the demon, the crackling of Innocence to Dark Matter exploding in the thin air. The demon growled as it wrapped the other claw around Allen's neck, and the exorcist felt his cowl running through the demon. Caught off guard, the level five slackened the grip, and Allen took the opportunity to drag his sword clean through the rest of the demon's shoulder, the arm falling to the ground uselessly. Droplets began littering the ground in a sickening bloodbath, and Allen couldn't tell which was his and which was the demons.

It didn't matter.

"Damn exorcist!"

"You should expand your vocabulary," Allen said quietly, sliding beneath the demon and jumping up from behind, his sword connecting with his shoulder and reverting to his own claw formation. "Edge End!"

The claw was poised directly over the demon, and it should have been impossible to miss. However, the demon was faster then Allen first anticipated, and if it wasn't for the sudden blade that appeared before him, the boy would have been crushed from a thrown rock.

"Link – "

"Quiet and keep fighting."

Surprised at the sudden change in attitude, Allen was nearly crushed once again; it awakened his senses, and standing up, Allen and Link were back to back as they waited for the demon to show itself once again. Obviously the demon wasn't too smart as it began laughing from above, and the two split apart before a crash resonated from where the pair had once stood. Allen grabbed his wrist and swung the sword quickly in the smoke to try and catch the demon before it could stand back up. The scream of metal hitting metal sounded, and Allen blinked in confusion.

What he was not expecting was for the demon to stand up holding something that resembled the same sword that Allen held.

"All demons have abilities," the level five said, running a claw down the length of the metal. "Instead of Innocence, it's Dark Matter. Prepare to die."

The demon wasn't as strong as the Earl, but it was pretty damn close as the two went head on with their respectful swords.

"Walker, get away from here!" Link called, already running in the direction of where the nurse was. He could catch the sounds of small whimpering, and Allen realized that it was one of the new staff – she hadn't been there when Headquarters was attacked previously. Cursing, Allen activated his Edge End and began running opposite of Link, the demon following close behind.

"Be careful, Walker!"

"Running away, eh, exorcist?"

"_Keep running."_

Far enough away, Allen figured. His claw wouldn't do much in this situation, so he reactivated to the Sword of Exorcism before grabbing onto a broken piece of metal sticking out from the wall, swinging himself around and flying in the direction the demon was running in. Not giving it enough time to get out of the way, Allen reached back with his sword before flinging it forward to the best of his strength. The cowl was tightened around Allen enough where the pain had gone numb, adrenaline replacing any sense of aching. The sword connected with the Dark Matter, the electricity crackling; the demon and Allen were face to face in a battle of who would dominate.

However, the demon wasn't nearly as injured as Allen, and he was beginning to overrule the scarred boy. His feet weren't touching the ground, having flown forward, and he growled as he tried to muster more force. The demon just laughed, and was about to break Allen –

Until another sword entered the fray.

"Damn it, moyashi, stop being so weak!"

Allen stared in confusion at the sound of Kanda's voice, and the samurai suddenly appeared from behind, breaking the contact between the two. The demon jumped backwards, effectively avoiding the oncoming attack from Kanda. There was blood running down the exorcist's face, and a large gash covered the area just above his shoulder, running through to his neck. His arms weren't much better, and Allen spotted some of the dark crimson soaking through the black training outfit.

Kanda wasn't in good shape.

"It's Allen, Bakanda."

He'd remind himself to ask if it was a Noah or demon, but first, they had to take care of the level five. Side by side, they waited for the demon to charge, and it wasn't long before some kind of battle cry emanated from the akuma and, lunging forward, it tried to run the sword through Allen. Not giving the opening, metal on metal sounded, and Allen pushed himself forward and knocked the sword out of the demon's hands. Kanda smirked as he hit the sword away, and Mugen became two pieces as he ran it through the top of the demon. Bloodied claws grabbed the Innocence, but Kanda wasn't having it. He forced the sword through the demon's hands, blood raining down, and before the level five could get a hit on Kanda, Allen ran his own sword through the demon's stomach, mechanical claws falling to the ground and a scream resonating throughout the abandoned corridor.

"You'll still die, Allen Walker!"

Pieces of metal and blood exploded, another level five taken down.

"You're beaten up pretty bad," Allen commented through heavy breathing, his Innocence still supporting him. He realized that the cowl had taken place of the bandages.

"Two level fives."

"More?" Allen asked incredulously, and when Kanda nodded stiffly, he shook his head. So there _were_ more then just one. "How are the others…?"

"Lenalee and Lavi are still fighting, Komui's gone to help those in the Science Department. The Generals are somewhere around the building, trying to find the Noah, which are still here. Everyone's fighting."

His tone was bitter when he mentioned the Noah. Allen steadied himself as he stood up, glancing around at the destruction and trying to figure out where to go next.

"Has anyone been found… dead?"

When Kanda was silent, Allen took it as a yes. Before either could elaborate, the unsteady wall behind them collapsed, and a sick laugh cackled before Kanda was dragged backwards into the smoke and debris.

"Kanda!" Allen shouted, reaching forward and grabbing onto his leg. It was a game of tug and war as Allen tried to release the grip on his comrade; Kanda was suddenly let go and they were both flung backwards. The uneven amount of broken wall pieces and the like caused a kink in his back, and they were both buried among the debris. He heard Kanda mutter '…the fuck,' but didn't pay much mind to it, trying to find the source of the sudden attempt as they both stood up.

"All deaths here are your fault, Walker!"

Allen recognized the voice as Devitto's. Sure enough, the two Noah of Bonds were behind the exorcists, and Allen turned around slowly to see Kanda being held in the same position Komui had been in, Mugen useless as it laid on the ground beside them. Jasdero kicked it away, the metal scratching on the dust covered stone.

"What do you want?" Allen asked angrily, and Jasdero pointed towards Allen's sword with his free hand.

"Deactivate, or the samurai here dies."

Later on, if they made it out of this alive, Kanda would probably yell at him for being an idiot; but based on the situation, Allen deactivated anyways, the sword becoming a black limb. He could tell by the way Kanda was glaring at him that he thought Allen had made the wrong choice, but judging by the way the wounds on the exorcist's body refused to heal, another hit – especially to the head – would probably kill Kanda.

"See? That wasn't so hard – "

" – now be a good little exorcist and come with us."

Road's door suddenly appeared, along with Tyki and the small girl – who was looking very pleased at the turn of events.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Kanda heatedly questioned, slightly struggling in the grip. Devitto buried the gun in Kanda's hair a bit deeper, and Allen knew they were itching to shoot; he was going to have to stall until someone else showed up to help. If the Generals were looking for the Noah, they'd arrive here shortly –

He didn't care how naïve the thought was.

"What are we doing?" Devitto started laughing.

"We're holding you hostage," Jasdero finished, joining in with his brother.

"No shit!" Kanda yelled, and Allen was wondering if he _wanted_ his head to get blown to bits. Either that, or he had the same idea as Allen, and was just stalling. "That's obvious, idiot!"

"Then why did you ask?" Jasdero asked angrily, the gun inching closer to Kanda's throat. A brief flash of worry passed through Kanda's eyes, and if Allen hadn't been watching, he would have missed it completely. Road seemed to find the ordeal amusing, watching the argument pass between exorcist and Noah. Allen was frozen in place, not sure what to do; Tyki looked bored as he walked over towards Allen.

"Allen doesn't seem to want to die," Road said lazily as she watched her uncle get closer to the object of her somewhat twisted affection.

"So we're going to take away one of his reasons to live. Starting with you," Tyki said, snapping his fingers. Allen's eyes widened as he caught the meaning behind the words.

"Don't count on it!" He yelled, activating his Innocence anyway. He ran forward, charging at Jasdero quicker then the Noah could comprehend, and in a flurry of quick defense, Jasdero let go of Kanda and aimed at Allen instead. Cursing, Kanda elbowed Devitto in the gut, the twin not expecting it and dropping Kanda to the ground. Grabbing Mugen, Kanda swung his Innocence upwards, aiming for Devitto's head but missing. Allen wasn't anticipating the attack from Jasdero so quickly, and a familiar red bomb headed straight for him before he could dodge. His cowl wrapped around his body to shield him from the heat, but Allen knew that wouldn't have been enough to guard against the fire.

Déjà vu was becoming common as a familiar red serpent engulfed the bomb.

"Found you," Lavi said quietly, his black Innocence thrown over his shoulder. Lenalee was beside him, and they were both covered in blood and various wounds, their heavy breathing giving way to their injuries. Lavi smiled tiredly, but there was a fierce resolution in his eyes; the four of them may have been worse for the wear, but they were still going to take on four Noah. Tyki sighed before grabbing onto Allen's arm, dragging him towards the door.

"I'm tired of the games. We're late as it is – "

"Let go, damn it!" Allen shouted, but his sword had fallen to the ground when Tyki unexpectedly grabbed him. Lenalee shot forward, but the twins stepped in her path and aimed at her with their guns; Lavi lifted his own Innocence to call on his next attack for the two Noah, and Kanda was left to get Allen away from Tyki.

"Fuck," Kanda swore, about to slice at Tyki, but a candle was suddenly at his throat, Road sitting on the top of her door.

"You guys don't realize what kind of threat you're holding here, do you? I mean, Allen can talk to the Fourteenth now. Doesn't that bother you?"

The situation made a drastic change when Allen urged his Innocence to return to him.

Tyki let go of the cursed exorcist as the Sword of Exorcism reconnected to his shoulder, and without giving Tyki another chance to grab him, Allen reactivated his Innocence and attempted to plough it through the Noah as he had done before. Tyki smirked as he called upon the familiar, glowing shuriken-like star, and the two weapons clashed.

"Why are you so eager to protect everyone?"

Allen said nothing as he continued to bring his sword down.

"They want you to die – they don't trust the Noah inside of you."

"Stop," Allen said quietly, and Tyki smiled one last time before his weapon disappeared. Startled by the sudden lack of connection, Allen stumbled forward, missing Tyki as he slid to the side; the Noah grabbed onto Allen's neck, and the boy deactivated his Innocence as the world started going dark. He was thrown to the ground, his head colliding painfully with the floor. His cowl had deactivated as well, leaving his body pulsing with a burn he couldn't ignore; the dark haired Noah bent down to the gasping exorcist, his hand touching Allen's black arm.

Lavi was shot into the nearby wall, his eyes closing from the sudden unconsciousness that overtook him. Lenalee was on her knees, desperately trying to regain her breath because she _knew_ what was going to happen next. The second she stood up, though, colored candles surrounded her, and all three exorcists were unable to come to Allen's rescue.

"Allen!" Lenalee yelled, and Road rolled her eyes.

"He's already nearing unconsciousness. Just let him be."

Allen bit his tongue, reaching his hand over to grab his wrist, but Tyki's hand went through his shoulder, and as he materialized, he pulled out, causing an unnatural _crack_ to sound from the area his hand had been. Blood began pooling around, and Allen's eyes widened, a cry of pain stuck in his throat from the raw, iron hot pain he shouldn't have felt.

"There's nothing you can do this time, boy."

Electricity jolted the air, and Allen's scream mixed painfully with it as his Innocence began succumbing to the Dark Matter once again.

"It wont save you a second time."

There was a blistering pain in his shoulder where his Innocence was connected, and as he forced his gaze to look at what was happening, another scream tore from his throat at the sight of his limb cracking, breaking, his Innocence was _breaking_ –

"We want him alive, dear boy. You'll get to destroy him soon enough."

The Earl's voice had never sounded so cold.


	32. Chapter 32

I do believe the Noah with sunglasses is Mercym, and I own volume 19, but the names were badly translated. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me; I wish the names weren't so terribly communicated. This chapter is also shorter then usual, but next chapter will definitely be much, much longer. This was delayed due to school; I had trouble trying to keep everyone in character in this chapter. I also tweaked the summary a bit. Again. But anyways, here's thirty-two, and thank you guys for being so wonderful! Leave a review on your way out?

* * *

32.

[trapped]

"_We're probably going to end up at the Earl's base."_

_

* * *

_i.

Allen was not one to look at a situation and jump to a pessimistic conclusion.

On the contrary, the kid was too optimistic for his own good. There was always a sense of hope with him, an unwavering determination that wouldn't quit no matter how dire the consequences seemed to be, the sheer lack of luck never fazing him in the slightest. Hell, six level fours and a level five could show up at once in the most crowded, smallest area possible, and the exorcist would _still_ find a way to win; they all blamed it on his martyr complex and his need to save every soul that was bound by the demon's outer casing.

But not one single exorcist that was coherent missed the flicker of worry and hopelessness that passed in his dull eyes when the voice of evil itself spoke coldly and with a twisted affection that was uncomprehending. The current predicament they found themselves in was a good scapegoat, however; Allen, who was breathing heavily, was currently on the rubble-covered ground with a broken shoulder and blood staining a good portion of the right half of his already beaten body. The black limb that was the boy's weapon was cracked in several places, and if the Earl hadn't shown himself when he did, the Innocence connected to Allen's body probably would have been completely destroyed from Tyki.

Lavi was still unconscious amongst the masses of tumbled walls, his head that was once neatly bandaged stained with a various amount of blood and dirt. He seemed to be coming to his senses, albeit slowly, but it wouldn't be enough, not with the twins standing near him and ready to shoot if need be. Lenalee was still surrounded by the many sharp candles, and one was positioned directly at the side of her head, her short hair inches away from being sliced along with her skull. She was covered in her own crimson, but that wasn't what bothered her – she had already gone numb. Kanda wasn't holding up much better, a single colored weapon sitting precariously at the side of his throat, and though he wasn't too concerned with his own life, one wrong move would probably cost them all; even he wasn't that stupid. Mugen hung limply in his hands, though he strengthened the grip on his sword when he realized it was slacking. The gash on his shoulder that ran to his neck was stinging uncomfortably, and his lack of regeneration was grinding on his brittle nerves; the one time he needed the damned ability, it decided to flake out on him and be stupidly slow. Road was still sitting, bored, on top of her checkered door, and Tyki was leaning against the wall and waiting for the Earl to say something else. The room had gone deathly quiet, and Kanda did _not_ like it.

They weren't in a good position.

It was only necessary that, for once, Allen realized they may not get out of this alive.

_Don't think like that –_

Allen himself was trying to push down the bile that desperately wanted to release from his stomach. His human shoulder was burning painfully, and he could see from his blurred, peripheral vision that there was an unholy amount of blood gracing both his body and the floor that surrounded him, which was coupled with the flecks of broken debris and dust sticking to him and causing the small cuts to sting. His Innocence was jolting with electric shock from the Dark Matter, and he could barely make out the diluted sight of the black limb recovering from the attack. His body was assaulted with different amounts of agony, yet his mind was more unfocused then he'd care to admit, and the world was beginning to swim dangerously. And though his head was pounding, an unknown resolve was winding itself around the boy's mind.

"Well then," the Earl started, the familiar sword perched on his shoulder. "I do believe introductions are in order."

Allen blinked in response, shifting slightly under the intense gaze of the eyes he detested. He realized a second too late that it was a terrible idea, renewed pain shooting through his body and stemming from his broken shoulder. Biting back a scream, Allen grimaced and forced himself to stay awake. The words the Earl had spoken eventually made sense when the unknown Noah from earlier came up beside him, dressed similarly in a white outfit; then again, for some reason, most of the Noah were wearing similar clothes. Did they settle on a uniform?

"_Is this really the time to be wondering about clothes?"_ Neah interjected, and Allen could hear the frustration in the usually calm voice.

"This is Mercym," the Earl continued, oblivious to Allen's disturbing thoughts. He blamed it on the loss of blood and what the pain was doing to his mind. The Noah with sunglasses barely lifted up his hand, and the cursed exorcist still held the notion that he resembled Skinn. The large man with the never ending smile walked over to stand beside Allen, before quickly introducing his next disciple that the exorcists – other then Allen – had not seen.

"And this is Cyril."

The Noah from earlier turned the corner and entered the area, smiling to himself and taking a stand beside Tyki. He waved curtly to those in the room, and Allen narrowed his eyes, the pain from his shoulder already dulling, fading into a blissful numbing sensation that probably didn't mean anything too good. After the 'introductions' had been made, Tyki pushed himself away from the wall and headed towards Allen, a gleam in his eyes that the boy couldn't miss at all.

"Shall we be going?"

Road jumped down from her door; but something was off. Allen pinpointed the cause when he realized _why_ the pain that should have been relentless seemed to be fading away. Looking closely, he noticed that the wounds on Lenalee's body were beginning to close up, though there were still traces they had been there, and the blood still thickly coated the spots the injuries had been. Kanda's body was looking similar, except it wasn't due to his currently lacking regeneration ability; especially since Allen could feel the lack of his own injuries, his shoulder being renewed and his Innocence ceasing in the crackling.

When Lavi stood up and whispered the name for the fire serpent – which quickly engulfed every single candle that occupied the room – Allen knew there was hope for them yet.

"What – "

Jasdero was silenced by a familiar monkey wrapping around his neck, attempting to attack the Noah head on.

"Look who it is," a deep voice came from behind Allen, but he didn't have to turn around to know who it was – Sokalo was unmistakable. Judging by the smirk Kanda was wearing and the relief in Lenalee's eyes, the Generals had arrived.

"Never thought you'd actually show up – it's always your 'family' doing the dirty work, is it not?" Klaud finished, glancing at the Earl, who seemed to smile _wider_, if that was even possible.

"That woman is around here somewhere," Road stated, glancing around and trying to locate Miranda. Allen pushed himself into a sitting position, assessing the area and trying to find her before the Noah did; it wasn't long until he spotted shaking hands peeking out from beside some of the rubble, her body mostly hidden. Black hands cupped her own, and Allen realized Noise was protecting her – it was short lived relief, because Tyki was one step ahead of them.

"You just don't learn," he started, grabbing Allen's injured arm and lifting him up. Miranda was obviously partly incapacitated, because Allen felt some of the sharp pain in his shoulder at the contact, though it was bearable. Even so, he elbowed Tyki directly where he had stabbed the Noah a few months prior – a blind spot Allen wasn't sure would work. He was grateful when Tyki grimaced and the grip slackened, Allen slipping out and activating the Sword of Exorcism. Before anyone else could attack, the Earl held up a hand, signaling for everyone to cease in their movements.

"Now, now," he began, walking towards Allen, who reflexively bent his knees and prepared for battle. "No need for fighting. We're only here for you, Allen Walker."

"He's not going with you," Lenalee said, walking up and standing beside Allen. Her boots were activated, and the faint glow of green shone in the corner of Allen's eyes. Kanda followed close behind, Mugen poised for attack and his face expressionless as he watched the Noah.

"Well, it's not really up to him," Road said, waving her hand and grabbing the edge of Tyki's shirt. "He's going with us one way or another."

Sokalo seemed to be getting bored, and Allen watched as a blur suddenly headed directly for the Earl. Devitto and Jasdero smiled before aiming at the General, but Lenalee caught them first, running forward and knocking the gun out of the blonde's hand. Devitto cursed, but Lavi already summoned the fire serpent, running towards Lenalee. Klaud joined in on the battle, instinctively heading for Cyril, who was heading towards Allen.

Allen was more focused on the Earl.

The constant smile had finally breached Allen's limits, and the exorcist charged forward in an attempt to take the Earl off guard. The Sword of Exorcism clashed with the Earl's own sword, the two weapons bearing a cross colliding and screeching loudly. He vaguely heard the sound of his name being called, but he ignored the protests as he forced his sword forward, desperate to connect with the man in front of him, who had caused so many to _die_ –

"Allen!"

The Earl reached forward to grab the exorcist around the neck, but Allen quickly dodged before attacking again. They parried blows for a few minutes before the large man got in a lucky shot, sending Allen flying backwards into the wall. There was a quick flash of pain, but it disappeared when Miranda's Time Out kicked in. Pushing himself back up, Allen went to attack the embodiment of evil once again, the man dodging the oncoming attack and causing Allen to swing at air. Taking the chance, the Earl seized the white haired boy by his arm and threw him once again, his head forcefully hitting the ground and causing spots to dance in front his eyes.

"_When Miranda's Innocence stops, you're in for a hell of a ride, Allen. If you keep fighting the Earl like this, you're going to die."_

"Had enough, Allen Walker?" The Earl asked, walking up and grabbing him around the neck, effectively lifting him off the ground. Allen narrowed his eyes as he struggled in the grip, but it was useless. "All you have to do is come with us. You can stop all of this."

The Earl gestured to the fighting in the room. Sounds of Innocence against Dark Matter echoed in the air, and the checkered door was waiting patiently for its entrants. However, Allen refused to give in, tightening his hand around his sword and attempting to stab the man holding onto him. The Earl chuckled before throwing Allen to the ground, causing the exorcist to skid painfully across the surface. Kanda glanced down, but the Earl already signaled to Road.

The door suddenly disappeared.

"Road, if you'd do the honors," Tyki said quietly, and Allen didn't have a chance to react before the floor beneath him was gone and he was falling –

"Moyashi!" Kanda yelled, whipping around to find that the checkered door had reappeared. Allen extended Crown Belt, the thin piece of cowl desperate to cling to something; the samurai grabbed it quickly, and Allen ended up holding onto the armor part of his Innocence for dear life. Literally, because he refused to fall into the Noah's trap.

Lavi appeared beside Kanda, extending his hammer and waiting for Allen to grab onto it. Grateful, the exorcist wound the cowl around the black handle before he was close enough to wrap his hands around it. Kanda turned around just in time to find that Jasdero and Devitto had recovered from the previous attack, and something blue was moving quickly in their direction. Cursing, Kanda let go of Allen's Innocence and split Mugen into two pieces, intending to destroy the ice before it was able to hit them. The plan quickly backfired when the Blue Bomb disintegrated from the exorcist's attack and the Red Bomb followed quickly behind. Kanda was the first to feel the attack, his skin burning from the contact; he lost his footing and he was the next one to fall into the door.

"Kanda!" Lavi shouted, not paying attention to the one of the rare times he called Kanda by his preferred name. Allen winced as he extended his cowl once again, wrapping it around the samurai's injured body and stopping him from plummeting below. Looking up, Allen noticed a faint glow behind Lavi's head, his eyes widening.

"Lavi, get out of the way!"

It was too late, and Lavi was the next victim of the extremely annoying bullets, ice hitting the red head directly in his back. Allen heard someone shout their names before all three of the exorcists fell into a bottomless darkness; he also felt something bite underneath his pant leg, but he didn't have much time to elaborate. Not content with hitting the ground painfully, the white haired boy quickly grabbed onto Lavi's arm, a large amount of liquid staining his hands when he felt the contact.

This was not going to end well.

Steeling himself, Allen pulled Kanda upwards and activated his full cowl so it created a type of barrier around the three of them. The silver mask fell over his eyes, and the air was whistling around them as they continued to fall. It felt like hours before they finally hit solid ground, the impact not as strong as it would have been without Allen's Innocence.

Sighing into the devoid space, the cursed exorcist deactivated the cowl and inspected the damage. The room they found themselves in was darkened, but there was a dim light highlighting the area. Lavi was breathing heavily, kneeling on the ground; crimson stained his white pants, and there was a large patch of frozen skin on his back. Kanda was conscious, and it seemed as if his ability finally decided to kick in – the burns began to heal, only enough where he could move around with little pain.

"Where are we?" Lavi choked out, glancing around the room and trying to find another sign of life.

"This'll disappear," Allen said solemnly, having been in a similar room when he and Lenalee were protecting Miranda. "And if we went through Road's door… Then we're probably going to end up at the Earl's base."

ii.

"Lavi!" Lenalee shouted, and she watched in horror as the three exorcists fell into the void that appeared on the ground. Anger was becoming her companion as she ran towards the twins, but they just smiled as Road created another door, Tyki, Road, and the one named Cyril walking through. Mercym followed close behind, and the Earl gave a departing wave before following into the depths as well. Lenalee couldn't reach the door in time, and they were gone along with her friends –

"Damn it!" She cried, surprising not only herself, but the two Generals as well. Klaud looked deeply concerned, while Sokalo held the same look he always did; a familiar exorcist carrying Miranda appeared from behind some of the rubble, the woman looking worse for the wear but her Innocence still activated.

"This isn't good," Sokalo said into the silence, heading towards Komui's office – well, what was left of it. Klaud sighed before rubbing her temples, walking over to Lenalee and grabbing her attention.

"We'll take care of the remaining demons and find your brother," the General began, her Innocence staying as the large monkey. Lenalee nodded, but it did little to calm her nerves.

Allen, Lavi, and Kanda were dragged into Road's door.

They wanted _Allen._

And all three of them were injured.

iii.

"Fuck."

That was Kanda's vocabulary at the moment, but Allen couldn't blame the older male, nor did he try too. The vulgar word seemed to fit the situation, and Allen found himself cursing their luck at the moment as well. Although they were alive, they were also in the confines of the Earl himself, trapped in a dank cell that was, sadly, better taken care of then the one he had been condemned to when Leverrier sentenced him to the Inquisition. The room smelt strange, an unknown scent coating the air and thickening it so it was barely breathable. There was a single door with a small window looking outside, the hallway just as dark as inside the cell. Allen's left eye wasn't reacting despite the surrounding area, which meant that the spell vehicles were probably placed somewhere around them.

Mercym – at least, Allen thought that was his name – had grabbed all three of the exorcists and bound them to their current room, and Lavi and Kanda were still badly injured. Allen's shoulder was emanating a dull ache, but Miranda's Time Out was still activated, for the pain wasn't nearly as bad as it had been when his shoulder was cracked. The upside to the entire turn of events was that all three of them had their Innocence, but it served as little comfort when they were trapped in the Earl's territory.

Something bit his leg again and Allen yelped, the sudden assault surprising him. Lavi turned his head towards the boy's direction, his body against the wall in a sitting formation. Kanda was pacing back and forth while Allen sat beside the red head, the room eerily silent; until Lavi broke the tension.

"Allen…?"

Said boy lifted up the edge of his the loose pants to find a familiar golden golem staring at him.

"…Timcanpy?"

Opening its mouth, the golem revealed to be holding a communication device, the earring shining despite the dull light. Allen eyed it carefully before plucking it out of Tim's inner shell, turning it over in his hand. There was no footsteps or any sign of life other then those that occupied the cell, and Allen was grateful as the earring crackled with static, attempting to reach someone in the Order.

"_zzz – Allen?"_

He immediately recognized the voice of Komui, and Kanda ceased in his pacing to grab the device from Allen.

"Komui?"

"Quiet!" Allen hissed, standing up and reclaiming the earring. Kanda glared, but said nothing more as Allen attempted to communicate with the Supervisor.

"_zzz – Kanda? Where are you guys?"_

"We don't know," Allen whispered, rubbing the back of his head as Tim perched on top of the mass of white hair. "The Earl's territory for sure, though."

There was a few seconds of silence.

"_Can you open the – zzz – ate?"_

The cursed exorcist blinked in confusion, but Kanda rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"The gate, moyashi," the samurai stated, raising an eyebrow. Nodding, Allen replayed the song over in his head and attempted to call the Ark, but nothing happened. Furrowing his brows, Allen tried again, but with no results.

"I can't call it," Allen said quietly, rubbing his eyes and feeling very exhausted. The sound of someone approaching immediately reached Allen's ears, and Timcanpy quickly ate the piece before hiding in the cursed boy's pant leg once again.

"Let's go," Tyki said quickly, opening the door and waiting for Allen to follow. Said boy just stood there, glancing from Lavi to Kanda; God, this was _not_ a situation he was expecting to find himself in.

"You can stand there all you want," Tyki continued, looking bored. "But you might as well come with me. Unless you want your friends to die."

Two level fours stood outside the door, and Allen cursed the spell vehicles for _not allowing the use of his eye, damn it._ Not taking the chance, the scarred exorcist cast one last, furtive glance to his comrades before exiting the room and following Tyki down the darkened hallway. There was something familiar about the rooms and area itself, but it was the kind of familiar that was distant and unrecognizable. Following the dank corridor, the two of them finally reached an elegant looking door with elaborate patterns; Tyki opened the structure, expecting Allen to walk through the threshold. As he did so, he immediately spotted the Earl sitting in a comfortable looking chair, a long table stretched out in front of him. No other Noah was present, which was a hollow relief for the exorcist.

"Take a seat," Tyki said quietly, and Allen glared at the large man in front of him before complying. The door shut silently behind him, and as he looked behind, Tyki was out of sight. Turning back around, Allen directed his hatred towards the Earl, who seemed unfazed by the death glare he was receiving.

"Walker – "

"What do you want."

"Quick to the point, I see."

A strangled noise caught in Allen's throat, a cross between a laugh and a cough.

"You could have killed me by now," Allen said quietly, eyeing the man. He folded his hands on the table before him, the whole situation seeming like a dream; it had never occurred to him that he would be in a… meeting of sorts with the Earl himself.

"I could have killed you that night, too," the Earl replied in an equal voice. "You can communicate with the Fourteenth, correct?"

Allen was silent, choosing not to respond. Neah was quiet, and the lack of comments from the Noah was both startling and worrying.

"Now, now, ignoring people isn't very nice, now is it?"

"What do you want?" Allen repeated again, his patience thinning; the pain was beginning to return, and he realized that Miranda's Time Out probably wouldn't be able to last much longer.

They needed to escape, and _soon._

"Join us, Walker," the Earl said simply.

Allen didn't buy it.

"_Don't listen to him," _Neah finally spoke, though the tone seemed off; was he worried, as well? _"He'll kill you the second you agree."_

"Take some time to think it over. You won't be getting away anytime soon."

The Earl gestured to the door, and Tyki walked back in, his hair pulled back and the usual suit ditched for just a simple dress shirt and pants. Allen didn't have to be told twice, and he quickly stood up, eager to leave the presence of the Earl. It was downright _awkward_ to be sitting in the same room with him, and not breaking out into a deathly fight. For once, Tyki was silent, and two made their way back to the cell quickly and without word. As expected, Tyki just opened the door to the cell and let it close, not one sentence uttered before locking the door again.

Allen was immediately questioned.

"Well?" Lavi asked impatiently, and the cursed exorcist noted that there was unconcealed worry in his emerald eye. "What happened?"

"He wants me to join them."

Silence blanketed the three of them once again, not sure how to respond. The quietness was interrupted when the two demons that were standing outside the door disappeared into the darkness, and Allen turned around to figure out what was going on; another demon appeared through the window, though instead of standing guard, it opened the door and walked in; it was a level three, though, and not a level four. Kanda immediately poised for attack, Mugen positioned over his shoulder. As a reflex, Allen grabbed his wrist and felt the hilt of his sword beneath his fingers; they may be prisoners, but they weren't about to die. Still, something about the demon seemed off. Lavi activated his Innocence and pointed it towards the akuma, who held up its hands in surrender.

"Hey, hey, put the Innocence away!"

Kanda was expressionless.

Lavi blinked.

_Oh._

Allen almost smiled.

"You're a modified demon, aren't you?"


	33. Chapter 33

EXAMS ARE OVER. HUZZAH.

Anyways. Ah! I wasn't nearly expecting the chapters to grow so long (more then 5000 words…) and as I got caught up in the plot of this chapter, I realized this story is coming to an end! I was planning the story to go for nearly… 40 chapters, give or take, but alas, it will be ending in one or two. The good news? There's a sequel all planned out, but I will give the details on it in the last chapter. It'll be titled "Reincarnate's Judgement." If anyone can make the connection between titles, congrats! I'll reveal it at the end of this story! For now, enjoy the next installment, and leave a review on your way out!

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33.

[his world will end by his hands, pt 2]

"_The Black Order and the Millennium Earl. Two sides."_

_

* * *

_i.

There was a light humming noise emanating from somewhere in the cell, causing the tension to thicken as silence blanketed the group in the condensed room.

Truth be told, Allen wasn't sure how he had immediately jumped to the unorthodox conclusion, especially considering the circumstances the trio found themselves in. A modified demon was rare indeed, and to be meeting one while being held captive in the Earl's base just didn't seem real, nor fathomable. And if one were to ask Allen how he knew that it was modified, he'd simply reply that he had been Cross Marian's apprentice for a couple years of his young life, and that was all they needed to know.

Because modified demons could only be altered by one General Cross Marian.

His missing in action, presumed dead master.

"A modified… akuma?"

Allen barely paid any mind to Kanda; the samurai was holding Mugen dangerously close to the demon's throat, while the akuma was desperately trying to inch away from the offending weapon, it's back against the door. The level three faintly resembled the level three Allen had fought in the Asian Branch, with only notable differences such as the metal piece – that looked like a mask – was smaller in size and lightly colored. Claws replaced hands, and the demon looked more human then a level one or two, though not nearly as human as a level five. When Mugen suspiciously moved closer to the thick casing, Allen stepped forward and placed a hand on the Innocence, lowering it enough to give the demon some space. Kanda was about to protest when Lavi told him to be quiet.

"It's modified," the redhead said quietly, his own Innocence strewn over his shoulder just in case. Kanda blinked in response, a glare masking his confusion.

"You know about the demons?" Allen asked, not taking his eyes away from the level three, who was glancing back and forth between Allen and Kanda. Lavi laughed nervously, and Allen could easily picture him rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, we ran into one in Edo. Actually, she was the one who _got_ us to Edo, after you… After the Suman incident."

Allen nodded absentmindedly, the memory still heavy in his mind and not particularly pleasant to think about. The stillness fell once again, no one daring to move or speak – Allen was waiting for the demon to change into a human appearance or to say anything, and it was a few minutes before it did both.

"Please put the Innocence down," the demon spoke into the silence, the metal forming into flesh. Allen's eyes widened as he realized_ who_ the demon transformed into. "I'm here to help, but if you kill me, I can't exactly do that, now can I?"

Hell. That was the nicest word Allen could think of when he saw the sleek brown hair cascade down one shoulder, with a simple white dress that was tattered and dirt soaked that covered the girl's body. He recognized her, scarcely, from the picture he had seen hanging on Dile's wall while having tea with the demon – that he didn't know was a demon at the time. But she was unmistakable, and Allen felt a pang of sadness in his heart when he realized that the family they had been looking for months before was probably deceased – especially if one of the members of that family was a demon.

Modified, yes, but still a demon.

" – Moyashi?"

"It's Allen…" said bean sprout responded halfheartedly, his words trailing at the end. The girl in front of him seemed to notice his intense stare, her feet shifting from side to side and expressing her discontentment with the watchful gaze. As she drank in the boy's appearance, something clicked.

"You're Allen! You're the one Cross was talking about – "

Kanda cut her off.

"How do you know Cross?"

Allen noted the venom, and since his mind was still trying to process the information, the added nuisance of Kanda _not listening_ was grinding on his nerves.

"Like I said," Allen said through gritted teeth. "Modified demon. She won't harm you… yet."

Perhaps adding the 'yet' at the end wasn't the best idea, but Allen didn't care as he stepped forward once again. He was tired of the confusion, tired of not being able to control _anything_ even though it was supposed to be his own path he was creating. His reaction may have been a little over the top, considering the situation, but the sudden appearance of one of the family members – a demon, no less – was enough to snap the little bit of patience and restraint Allen didn't realize he had.

"You're Cleo," Allen's voice had softened a bit. The one named Cleo seemed taken aback for a few seconds before nodding, letting the exorcist continue. "Is he still alive?"

"I can't answer that for you," she spoke softly, as if afraid to hurt Allen – Kanda scoffed, and Allen glared. At who, he didn't particularly care.

"Explain. Now."

The scarred exorcist was grateful it was Kanda who made the demand, otherwise Allen would have had to – his head was beginning to throb from the circumstances, and he really just wanted to cringe and pretend he didn't have to work out his thoughts. The demon was quiet for a few moments, time stretching uncomfortably; Allen blearily realized that the dull ache in his shoulder was beginning to return, and judging by the way Kanda's arm itched to swing Mugen and Lavi's expression seemed to change into one of realization, Allen knew they had very little time left until their injuries returned completely.

A sigh escaped Cleo's lips, and Allen twitched. Barely.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Start at why you're a demon in the first place," Allen responded before Kanda could. The demon nodded, her hands still placed on the door behind her.

"When… someone special to me died," she began, her brows furrowed as if she was trying to work it out herself. God help her if she lied, Allen knew; Kanda would be murderous, more so then usual. That'd be something to see.

"_Focus."_

…_Where've you been this entire time?_

"_Just focus."_

"I made the deal with Master – "

"Don't call him master. He's the Earl, and nothing more, if you're 'modified,'" Kanda snapped, his voice heated and his expression one of loathing.

Another sigh escaped her lips. Allen's eye twitched.

"I made the deal with Ma – the _Earl_, and you know the rest."

"Wait," Allen said, new confusion settling in the pit of his stomach. God, his head was spinning… "If you're Cleo… You can't be. That's Cleo's body, yes, but then she was the one who called _your_ soul back. So who are you?"

"Her mother."

"But… Dile said that he tried – "

"Dile?" the demon interjected quietly, her tone dripping with malice. Allen took an involuntary step back, and Mugen immediately surfaced at her neck once again. Allen realized that Mugen was near his body as well, and turning around, he noted Kanda was standing behind him, abnormally close to the scarred exorcist and just a few steps off to the side.

"Dile hated me for taking away his precious son. He was happy when I died, he never tried to bring me back. The only reason he was a demon at all was because he tried to bring back his own wife, and you know what happens after that. Cleo was the one who tried to return me to a mortal state, but of course, I destroyed her."

Regret. Sadness.

"I was a level three before Marian found me."

"And he converted you? Just like that?" Allen asked, not trusting the demon in the slightest. His master didn't just go around converting demons for no reason, unless –

"I believe he was a bit intoxicated at the time. Experimenting."

"For crying out loud," Allen threw his hands up in defeat, the truth somewhat clearer. "How long ago was this?"

"…Less than a year, I'd say."

"So before we found him…" Lavi finally put in his own word, rubbing his chin in thought. "Maybe it was while the twins were looking for him…?"

"Does it really matter?" Kanda's patience was running thin, and his Innocence twitched as it nearly touched the cold flesh of the demon. Allen couldn't really blame him, but there were still more questions running through his mind.

"So what happened to the rest of your family? Your father… No, your _husband_ and your son?"

"The murderous intent only stays away for so long before it returns for a short while. Master Tyki found me and the urge to kill was overwhelming, so I…"

Allen already knew the rest, so he didn't push her on it.

"Anyways, I was brought back here. If they would have killed me, it would have been by self destruction. So I agreed to come back here, and when I saw that Mast – uh, the Earl brought you three here, I recognized the mop of white hair. Marian said something about you, to help you if the time came. That was his exchange for converting me."

…That did _not_ sound like the Cross he knew, drunk or not. Allen had been around his master while the elder was intoxicated, and he wasn't exactly the nicest drunk around. Vaguely, Allen knew there was something off about Cross even before he disappeared, and now this?

_There's something more._

"_Yes, there is."_

"Still," Allen said shakily. His voice wavered, and a rush of pain in his abdomen proved their suspicion about the Time Record running short. "What about the necklace? The Innocence? There's no way you could have worn it if you're a demon."

"That necklace was Cleo's, yes, and perhaps it was Innocence, but before Cleo went to the cemetery, she gave the necklace to Milo – her brother. I carried it the one night we fled because he had already dropped it repeatedly."

Allen shook his head, the pieces starting to fall together.

"Did Kai know?"

"About me being a demon? Yes. But he didn't understand the process or how being an akuma worked; Dile was perhaps the only one out of all of us who knew, and that was because he had been the only one to watch me die. As far as Kai knew, he could take off the 'curse' but…"

For the first time since the demon walked into the cell, Allen turned towards his comrades completely. Lavi looked like he understood what Cleo was talking about, but still confused about the entire situation in general. Kanda was impassive, but his eyes were stony and Mugen was still poised for attack. Both exorcists glanced to Allen, and the latter sighed as he tried to come up with a solution; they weren't going to last much longer, and they were lucky that none of the Noah had decided to drop by – or the Earl.

"Look, you three need to get out of here. You're impossible to communicate with, by the way," the demon interrupted Allen's inner thoughts and put her hands on her hips. Allen blinked incoherently as he twisted his body to look back at Cleo – impossible to communicate with? Hadn't they just been talking?

"The gunshots," Cleo motioned her hands, as if trying to urge Allen to understand something very important.

Gunshots.

Huh.

"How do you know about that?" Allen asked skeptically, suddenly feeling very, very vulnerable. Kanda tensed behind him, and Allen was immediately reminded of the spar, the mirror, and the noise only he could hear while meditating with the samurai. Cleo shook her head in disappointment at having to explain something else.

"The gunshots. That's my ability – I can talk in people's heads. Not like Master Road's dream ability, but more like… I can communicate with you if I try hard enough. I wasn't nearly close enough to your location when I tried, but seeing as how Marian and you were close, I figured you'd respond to what sounded like his gun. The screaming was me trying harder, but it felt as if something was blocking the way. Like the aura of a Noah – "

"Can you cause auras?"

Urgency replaced adrenaline. The distant feel of darkness had erupted at the remembrance of the dark aura, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been during the times of the gunshots – or before. If there was a chance they were connected, then the majority of Allen's questions would be answered, pertaining to what had been happening to his body, anyways.

"I'm afraid not. Whatever you're feeling has nothing to do with me. Perhaps you should try asking yourself instead. The dreams, however, were Master Road's doing."

The sound of footsteps entered Allen's hearing before he could answer, and the demon quickly transformed back into the demon structure. There was a sad smile on her face beforehand, and Allen made a promise to himself that he'd free her soul before they left. The footsteps had ceased, but Allen could tell there was someone down the hall, but he couldn't tell how close; the tension thickened and Allen had a disturbingly familiar feeling of dread.

"We can't just leave," Allen said in silence, contemplating the options. "I can't call the Ark as long as the vehicles are up."

"I'll destroy the vehicles. You call the Ark. Understood?"

Kanda lowered his Innocence, but only enough to give the demon some space. The footsteps echoed down the hall once again, quick paced and sounding eager; they were light as feathers, like a child running on soft grass. And there was only one Noah that Allen knew of with a childlike appearance and the weight of one –

Road.

"As soon as your eye activates," Lavi said silently as he put a hand on Allen's shoulder, and the younger boy nodded before the demon left the room and closed the door with a quiet _click._ The footsteps had paused in their running once again, but this time, a voice followed the noise and Allen knew his suspicion was confirmed. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he recognized the demon's voice as well, conversing with Road. Not intent on getting caught, he walked back to his original position against the wall, the ache in his leg muscles beginning to intensify with every step taken on the cold stone. The soiled bandages on his chest weren't holding very well, and the naked part of his chest was still tainted with crimson, although the wound on his shoulder had been temporarily healed. The dark pants were stained with red, but it was barely visible due to the black, tinted blue, hue.

He was _cold_, and he cursed the water in the lower sanctum for soaking his sweater.

_I wonder how the Order's holding up, and if the akuma are gone. And what about Lenalee? And Link?_

"_Worrying isn't going to help you."_

_Again, where'd you disappear to?_

"…_There's not many places I can go, Allen."_

A snippet of their earlier conversation penetrated his mind, and Allen furrowed his brows as he asked Neah; after all, if anyone would know the answers to his questions concerning the Fourteenth, it'd be the Fourteenth himself. Allen crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall for support, Lavi joining him while Kanda remained motionless facing the door.

_I said there was something more. You said there was. What are you talking about?_

Neah was silent for a few minutes before responding. Kanda glanced over to Allen, and judging by the expression on the kid's face, he had a feeling that Allen was having an inner conversation. It was weird in a sense that it shouldn't have been possible in the first place.

"_Remember what Cross said?"_

_There's a lot of things my master said to me._

"…_The third side, Allen."_

The comment was unexpected, and Allen's eyes widened as he tried to make sense of the words. He had forced all thoughts about a third side away, mainly because his loyalty was becoming strained and anything to add onto the lack of trust would surely mean his demise. He was already sentenced to execution, and if not for the attack on Headquarters, he'd probably have been on his death bed with a needle up his arm.

At least, that's how he assumed they executed people. But since it was Leverrier… the thought alone caused a shiver to run up his spine.

"_Focus."_

_I am. What are you trying to get at? A third side? There's two sides to this war._

And only two; he hoped to God there would only ever be two.

"_Are you sure?"_

_The Black Order and the Millennium Earl. Two sides._

Neah was silent, and Allen stuck with the naïve thought that he let it go. No such luck, of course, but the sound of footsteps running down the hall once again was enough to drive away the voice inside of his head for the time being. He glanced upwards when the door opened to reveal the demon once again, still in one piece.

"I'm going now. Be prepared."

Allen nodded, but he knew there was one thing he'd have to do before he left through the gate.

ii.

"The demons have been taken care of, and unless they're hiding, they have been completely eradicated."

"Thank you, General Klaud. Please head down to the cafeteria where the medical staff are attending wounds."

Komui watched as the General nodded and left, a morose feeling layering the air in what was left of his office. Lenalee was down in the cafeteria, but Komui knew that the second she was released, she'd be in his office asking the questions he refused to answer nearly an hour before. The building, thankfully, wasn't in nearly as much disarray as the previous attack had left the old Headquarters, and he highly doubted moving once again would be in order; however, the Earl now knew where the location of their base was, and the Chinese man was at a loss on what to do about the issue. Only the infirmary, his office, and a few of the corridors – and the science lab – had been nearly obliterated, and the rubble would be cleared as soon as the missing exorcists returned.

Which lead to his current state of health as he paced back and forth in the deserted room.

The death toll seemed to be rising by the hour, with over five hundred in counting. Bak had been taken to the cafeteria as soon as the attack had been dealt, and the man was being treated as time went on. Reever had taken the worst of the injuries of the Science Division, and as far as the Nurse was concerned, there was a good chance he wouldn't make it.

Brain trauma. Broken ribs. Head wounds.

"He'll be fine…" Komui muttered to himself; Reever was strong, and he survived the last attack, he'd survive this one. None of the scientists had succumbed to death, but many finders had been lost in the multiple explosions. The Generals were still scanning the area, save for Klaud, just in case.

The only other people missing, other then those with the Earl, were Link and Leverrier.

The blond was either running around trying to help, or he had been killed; Komui chose the first option, because he refused to believe anymore deaths had been accounted. Leverrier, on the other hand, was probably the second option, especially since two of the Vatican's members had been lost. The first thought that hit Komui was karma, but he diligently pushed that reflection away, focusing more on retrieving their lost exorcists while those in the Order focused around restoring the peace.

When he made a connection to Timcanpy, there was a spark of hope that they'd get out alive, but the connection had been cut short. He hadn't been able to contact them since, and given that there was a chance the Ark would appear, a few finders were standing by the entrance to see if the three missing would come back.

Komui knew why Lenalee was on edge – why they were all on edge – but he couldn't ease her pain.

"Allen Walker. Kanda Yu. Lavi."

They had a long road ahead of them; they all did.

"Chief! You're needed in the cafeteria!"

Komui locked away his thoughts like he had done so many times before.

iii.

_Whirr._

"The vehicles are gone."

The words should have been relieving, but Allen wasn't content in the least. Although his cursed eye was back in commission, it did little to lift his spirits as he waited for the demon to return. Lavi and Kanda looked at him expectantly for him to open the gate, and Allen sighed before looking away. The door creaked open and the demon walked in, human form instead of the metal casing; Allen could clearly see what was left of the soul, and despite the horrid appearance, it was easier to look at then the level four of five. The sad smile was on her face, and the scarred exorcist knew that she was aware of his plan.

She looked comforted.

"You should leave now," the demon said in a hushed tone, almost as if Road was still down the hall. It was possible. "They shouldn't attack you again, but like I said Allen, I suggest you ask yourself some questions."

Nodding, Allen placed two fingers on his forehead and concentrated on the lullaby, the song playing in his head as a familiar white gate appeared. Kanda and Lavi seemed eager to leave, and the sound of someone walking down the hallway entered his hearing once again; heavier then Road's, much lighter than the Earl's. The demon heard it too, and she waved once before transforming back.

"Go."

Allen shook his head as he turned towards his companions, both of whom were about to walk through the Ark.

_Third side…_

"_You're getting the idea now, I see."_

"You guys go on ahead. I'll meet you back at – "

"Are you stupid?" Kanda interrupted angrily, and Allen stumbled back at the sound of the older man's voice. "As soon as Lotto's Innocence wears off, you're fucked, and you know it – "

"I have to do something first."

_Do I have a choice?_

Lavi seemed to assess the white haired boy before stepping back out of the Ark. The footsteps were growing louder and Allen was growing more anxious.

"Then we can do it before we _all_ leave."

_You don't understand._

"I'll only be a few extra minutes. Just go on ahead and warn Komui that there may be another possible attack. I can handle myself."

"Why are you staying? To destroy Cleo?"

Allen nodded.

Lavi didn't look convinced and Kanda was severely pissed, but something urged Allen to plead his case. Other then destroying the demon to set her free, there was something he noticed during the whole ordeal. If he wanted more answers, then the Order didn't hold them. The Fourteenth did, and although he could ask anytime he wanted, going back to the Order wasn't an option that would allow that. His plan was to return, but only after he confirmed what the Earl wanted; maybe he could get an answer out of Tyki – who Allen figured was walking down the hall.

Suicidal, maybe.

"With a place filled with Noah and the Earl himself? Are you crazy?"

Lavi was getting impatient, and Allen figured the only way he was going to be able to do this was if he gave them some kind of information to tide them over. When had everything grown so complicated?

"Lavi, the third side," the redhead's eyes widened. "Exactly. If it's what I think it is, then I need to find out."

Kanda looked angered at the lack of knowledge – he hadn't been present at the meeting between Allen and his master, so instead of standing there when someone was coming down the hall, Allen spoke to Lavi.

"Explain to him when you go through the Ark. But neither of you can say anything to Komui – I'll be right behind you guys."

Lavi was about to protest, and Allen's thinned patience was running out, so he tried one last tactic.

"I'm a Critical. I can handle this. Just go. Warn Komui!"

"_It's your choice. I don't influence it in any way – yet."_

"Ah, is Allen trying to escape? Come on boy, you're not that stupid."

_No, I'm not._

With one last glance to his friends, he pushed Lavi back into the Ark, effectively driving him into Kanda as the two disappeared into the white. Lavi called his name in surprise before the Ark closed, but as Allen shut off the connection, he turned toward the man standing in the doorway. Tyki smirked as he raised an eyebrow, glancing to the spot Allen's friends had once occupied.

"Was that really a smart idea?"

Allen shrugged, glancing from the demon to Tyki and back.

"You know," Tyki started, walking into the cell and placing a hand on Allen's shoulder. The boy flinched at the contact, which just caused Tyki's smirk to grow. "Maybe it was. But you'll all eventually die anyways. But, seeing as how we have a traitor in our midst, I'd say it's time for it to self destruct, no? Or you can do the honors."

– "_Do you know what happens to the soul when it self destructs?"_

Road's words from his first mission with Lenalee rang in his head, and Tyki stepped aside to stand by the demon.

"_What's your plan now?"_

"Well, boy? Are you going to fight back?"

Allen breathed in as he grabbed his wrist, a shock coursing through his arm that he vigilantly ignored. The hilt of his sword felt alien after the Dark Matter had worn down his weapon.

"I'm not really in the fighting mood," Allen said offhandedly, adrenaline surging through his veins. He wasn't sure if staying behind was a stupid idea or not – it probably was – but as long as his friends made it out, he'd find another way.

"_The third side isn't going to be easy, you know."_

The cursed exorcist walked forward, and the demon didn't move. Tyki waited patiently, and Allen briefly wondered if the Noah thought this was hard for him to do; being a modified demon, the urge to kill wasn't overbearing, so why destroy it?

Because it was still a bound soul, one that needed to be freed.

_Are you trying to get me to stay with the Order?_

"_Again, it's your choice. But consider this – if you go back, you may not get out alive."_

"You're wasting time," Tyki said, bored. Allen looked away from the Noah as he took one last look at the demon, and although she was in her akuma form, she wasn't worried in the slightest. Allen let a small smile grace his lips as he raised the Sword of Exorcism.

"You know," the demon started, stepping forward. "You may just win this war."

And Allen struck the demon, setting the soul free from the lack of retaliation and the willingness of the akuma.

"_You may just win this war. You, Allen."_

_I understand, but that doesn't mean it's the right decision._

"Tyki," Allen deactivated his Innocence once the noise had calmed down and the tense air dimmed a little; Tyki just pulled his hair back as he leaned against the wall. Peeking out from his white dress shirt, Allen could see pale scars litter his body – despite still being affected, the Noah that had nearly turned human once again still had the proof of what Allen had done on the Ark. Before he could stop himself, the words slipped out of his mouth, catching Tyki off guard.

"Do they hurt?

"…Perhaps."

Allen shook his head; he was far too comfortable around the Noah if they could have a decent conversation without killing each other – or attempting to, anyways. Tyki sighed before heading out the door, calling behind him to the dumbfounded exorcist.

"If you escape, we'll find you. When? Well, that'll be a surprise. Just keep that in mind."

"Why are you so eager to have me on your side?"

Tyki laughed as he glanced behind him, a hand on his hip and a card deck in his hands. Allen caught himself wondering if Tyki ever went back to his human friends.

"We don't want you on our side, Walker. You'll eventually be the Fourteenth, and when that day comes, we'll kill him."

"I've already got that covered."

"_You can try, anyways."_

_I'm just going along. Quiet._

Tyki shook his head before closing the chamber door and heading back down the hallway. Allen stood in the loud silence for a few moments before agonizing pain shot up his shoulder, and he crumpled to his knees and gasped at the sudden spasm. Blood began to trickle down his human hand, and he noticed that the wound that was once closed was beginning to open. Slowly and crucially, it was opening; he was literally running out of time. Biting his tongue and ignoring the sting it caused, Allen focused once again on calling the Ark, the gate coming gradually.

"_Then what is the right decision?"_

_I don't know that yet._

Steeling himself, Allen stood up and headed into the white, not bothering to look behind him as he walked forward. As soon as he left the cell, he shut off the connection to that door, still trying to get the hang of how the giant contraption worked. Neah was about to give him some tips, but since Allen already had the basics down, he'd rather not be bothered by little details he didn't need right away.

"_You will if you choose the third option."_

"Ah, now I have to find Home…"

His voice seemed to echo in the Mediterranean looking city, and memories of the time on the Ark _before_ he could control it were an unwelcome guest as he walked along the path. It was weird, being in the Ark and actually looking around, instead of immediately heading towards a destination. He wondered if Lavi and Kanda had arrived back at Headquarters already; what Tyki had said was playing over in his mind, and he had a feeling it would influence his final decision. If the Earl wanted him dead – and would go through Hell just to find him – then staying at the Order would just cause more destruction.

_But there's nowhere else I can go._

The Order was his home.

"_You can find somewhere. Britain. India."_

_You know too much._

Neah laughed inside his head, and Allen felt his lips twitch upwards. It was a dismal situation either way, and the options were either return to Headquarters, and possibly be executed, or go someplace else… The second option seemed more logical the more he deliberated it. However, he knew in the end, he'd become –

"Allen!"

Said boy glanced up, cringing when his neck cracked painfully. Having held his shoulder the entire time, his body was beginning to feel the effects of his injuries, and he had a feeling that the path behind him was coated with crimson. Lavi ran up to the cursed exorcist, and Allen only smiled at his comrade. Kanda wasn't too far behind, but with his arms crossed and a pissed off expression on his face, Allen had a feeling he was in for an earful.

He was surprised when Kanda only _che'd_ at him, turning his head away.

"Allen – "

"Don't ask right now," the boy choked out, his throat cracked and dry. Lavi was going to protest, but decided against it, blood dotting the wound on his head; they had a few minutes at most.

"Can we go back now?" Lavi asked jokingly, grabbing Allen's arm and dragging him towards, what Allen assumed, the entrance to the Order.

Allen only nodded.

"Where's Timcanpy?" Kanda asked suddenly, glancing to Allen with his eyebrow raised. Allen blinked a few times, trying to get his foggy brain to process the information, before his eyes widened and he face palmed himself.

"Tim!"

On cue, the golden golem fluttered out of the bottom of Allen's pants, having hidden the entire time. Although golems weren't supposed to work on the Ark, Timcanpy was an exception the rule, and he waited patiently as it contacted Headquarters. It was only a few minutes of walking in peace before static broke the quiet and Komui's voice carried over.

"_Allen? Kanda? Lavi?"_

"It's us," Lavi said, hands behind his head. "We're on our way back now, going through the Ark."

"_How – "_

"We'll explain later."

A yawn escaped Lavi's lips, and laughter echoed from the golem as Komui's relieved voice signaled that the condition back at the large building wasn't as bad.

"_You're alright, though?"_

"Miranda's Time Record is wearing off," Allen said softly, the world spinning dangerously fast. His body was screaming with every step he took, and his shoulder was perhaps the most tender of all – either that, or his Innocence. Komui didn't respond at first, and Allen figured he was mulling the information over; his eyes grazed a familiar sign that gave Allen a bit of relief.

Bitter disappointment accompanied it, and it was then he knew something had changed.


End file.
